I'd Rather Die
by Jotunheim Storm
Summary: The universe is a dangerous place. It's always been like that from the beginning of time. Not because of the people that do evil but because of the people that see evil and do nothing. We're the Avengers, we fight evil always have done. We protect those who evil seeks out. Even if it's one of our greatest enemies, that's how we're different to you. Cover art by Periwinkle Skittles
1. Prologue

Prologue

My empty, cold laughter filled the room. Yet again my _father_ tried to contain me in petty handcuffs, leg cuffs and chains. It was almost amusing. His pathetic tries to tame me, to teach me the _gravity of my crimes._ Foolish. You cannot tame real power. Power is raw, rare and mine.

"You still fail to learn, you still fail to see your flaws. This is why you cannot or ever be king," he said.

I faked looking sad. Placing my hand on my heart as if it was breaking. Little did he know it was already broken.

"I am hurt, beyond your comprehension," I scoffed.

I'd given up on the throne a long time ago. Well, that's what I told myself. It was a lie though, how could I give up everything I ever wanted? How? If the was a way somebody better come and _enlighten me._

"Prison seems like leeway punishment," he clearly thought about what he was going to do with me.

Thinking, a new one for him.

"If you are to execute me, do so now. Do not lock me away again. I will only escape, you know that," my scorn clearly hurt him.

He claimed to still care. A father that does care doesn't lock away his son or lie to him about everything. I'm the God of Lies but he lies more than anyone's comprehension. Every single bitter word on his flipping tongue is a lie.

"I have thought over and over how his conversion would pan out, I have spent many nights wondering how much this will hurt you but it is for the best for everyone. I say this not as your father but as the Allfather," he took care with his words.

Thinking of how this could affect me. Amusing. Now he cares, not when I need him.

"Funny isn't father you care about how I take my punishment but you care not for telling me my true parentage. I just love you for that. Love did I say love a mean despise with all of my heart and my soul. If I could hate you anymore I would but it is incapable to do so," my words were calculated for the deepest affect and the biggest gasp from the crowd.

It was fair to say I loved the attention.

The guard prodded me, forcing me to move forward. I stepped back slightly treading on his toes. Digging my heel into his feet. He winced. My perfect brother Thor followed after me. Odin walked after me. We walked to the Bïfrost. Heimdall stood as ever, watching. Heimdall stood aside. Odin placed the Gungnir spear into the Bïfrost. He had done this before when he banished Thor. Was he casting me out?

"Loki Laufeyson... you have time and time again failed to see the errors of your ways. You even posed as me to grasp you chance to be king. Through your selfishness and your malevolence, you've destroyed the lives of innocent mortals. You are unworthy to stay here, you're unworthy of forgiveness, and you're unworthy... of the loved ones you have betrayed!" he said with a quiet menace.

_ Much like the words he used before._

"Where will you banish me of mighty Allfather? Jotunheim, Niflheimr, Svartálfaheimr. Maybe Hel?" I clicked my fingers removing the chains the encased me.

"You think I fear these places. You can put me anywhere I will thrive," I promised.

He twisted the Gungnir spear.

"Midgard," he stated.

Midgard? "Father, you cannot. The mortal will hurt him. They will kill him," Thor's outburst was unexpected.

_ Why would he defend me?_ I do not need his protection. "If they do who am I to intervene? They do not try and change how we live so we shall show them the same respect. If they kill him it will be for the best of their people," he said coldly.

_ He not care I could hear he every word?_ Clearly I was not of his concern.

"I now take from you your power! In the name of my father and his father before, I, Odin Allfather, cast you out!" he yelled.

Pushing me through the portal. Leaving me alone yet again. Letting me go. Letting me die…


	2. Chapter I

**A/N: Hi people. I'm so pleased with the positive feedback for this story. I'm still writing my other but I had this idea so I thought I better write it down before I forget. Thank you so much to Sapphire Roz and** **panda13000 who both followed this story. I would also like to thank the guest for reviewing. Please R&amp;R (Read and review if you don't know) it would be a crime not to. Joking but it would make me smile. I do not own anything to do with the avengers, I only own my OCs. **

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

Chapter I

I was awoken by a crash. When I say crash not a normal one. Not like a dropping of shopping or a tree. Not even a car crash. Worse than that. I jumped out of bed and ran to the door. I walked out my house expecting to see a load of turmoil but I saw a whole load of… Nothing. Well that was pointless. Waking up a half six for absolutely nothing I thought. I went back into the comfort of my warm house. I knew there was no point trying to go back to sleep. I was awake now. It was going to be like that for the whole day.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I fell face first onto the hard ground. Face first. Instead of the ground leaving a mark on my face. My face left a mark in the ground. I forgot how weak Midgard's substances are. I stood up. Brushing myself down. I may be in a mortal inhabited realm it didn't mean I had to lower my standards.

_I was in Midgard. Midgard… No, no, no. Why here?_ Anywhere else. Please anywhere else. I was alone. Always alone. I tried to cast a teleportation spell. It failed. I'd never failed with magic before. This was a first. I tried again and again. Nothing. I was trapped. Within a realm which hates me and wishes for my own demise. Thank you father I thought. Thor was right, they will try and kill me. Without my power I was weak. Well, weaker. I have never been weak. There was a strange feeling in my stomach. A yearning, as such. A yearning for what? After contemplating my surroundings, mostly pathetic buildings and grass, I realise what this sensation is. Hunger. No, not hunger, starvation. It had been a long time since I'd eaten. On Asgard, before Odin stripped me of my immortality, I rarely had to eat. When I did it always had to be in large portions though, considering I would go days without nutrition. There seemed to be no places to pillage for food. It seemed I would have to ask. I'd never had to ask before. Being a prince meant I got whatever I wanted or need at once. I guess that means I would have to be nice. Not my strong point.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

There was a knock at the door. Definitely not the postman at seven in the morning. I dragged myself from the comfort of my blanket I rapped myself in when I sat on the sofa. I unlocked the door. Safety first. I blinked, I think I'm going crazy. I blinked again. I had to do a double – take. I couldn't believe my eyes. A raven haired, green eyed man stood in my doorway. He was tall, with pale skin and defined cheekbones. I recognised him, who wouldn't? His lean figure stood straight, still in my doorway.

"Loki," I said breathlessly.

He pushed past me and entered my house.

"Ok, come in," I said to myself.

I closed the door behind him. He went straight to my fridge, no attempt to apologise nor to kill me. So I guess I'm lucky, sort of. He took out the leftovers for last night's roast and began eating it. _Strange breakfast._ He leant against the kitchen counter, biting into the chicken leg. I just stood there watching him. Unsure if I was terrified or fascinated.

After waiting for his introduction for ages I just burst out with "So are you gonna introduce yourself or just stand there eating my leftovers?"

He met my gaze with an intense glare. He put down the bit of chicken he was eating. He snarled slightly.

"I think you already know my name, girl," he growled.

I was taken back slightly. I wasn't going to back down though.

"Yeah, but you should still have the courtesy to introduce yourself," I told him.

He seemed to be smirking, clearly amused I answered him back.

He bowed mockingly and said "I am Prince Loki Laufeyson of Jotunheim my lady. Did that satisfy you princess? Or would you like me to kneel?" every single word dripping with sarcasm.

_ For a prince he clearly needed to learn some manners._

"Well I'm…" I began.

"I know who you are Miss Haley, I know everything about you. Your name is Zara April Haley. You were born in Greenwich and now you live here. You were there at the time Malekith invaded. You hate the colour grey and you have no idea why I am standing in your kitchen telling you everything about yourself," he smirked.

_OMG, stalker._

"I am not a stalker I can just read your mind," he smiled.

His smile wasn't a nice one though, too many teeth. I laughed nervously._ I wasn't sure what to do. Call the police? No they'd overact and I would get arrested too. Blooming SHIELD didn't exist anymore, so I couldn't call them. Maria! I could call her. She would know what to do._ I leaned for my mobile which inconveniently, was behind Loki. I reached my hand to grab it but Loki took my hand instead. Placing it on his waist.

"How forward," he said.

"Forward?" I asked.

"Yes, in your declaration of love for me. Leaning in to touch me. How inappropriate," his smooth, silky voice purring every word.

He pulled me towards him, placing his slim fingers around my waist. I grabbed my phone and behind his back I typed to Maria:** Helppp Lokkki iiinn mmy houusse. **My spelling was off. I couldn't really type when a demi god was holding me way to close to him. I wanted to punch him but I knew I could be seriously hurt if I did. He let go of me, leaving me breathless. I gasped for air. I was flustered and my heart was beating out of my chest. For a mass murderer psycho he was a smooth operator.

"Thank you," he purred.

That was going to be annoying.

The door was pushed open. It was Maria, thank goodness. Also another person. In a suit and sunglasses. Unlike Maria he didn't hold a gun.

"Ironman!" I squealed.

An Avenger in my house. _Wozers._ It was amazing how fast they got here.

"Biggest day of your life, I know. But we're here for Loki not for a book club," he said.

_ Ok rude. I was just being excited. At least I can cross it off my bucket list, meeting an Avenger. Also I could cross off be insulted by an Avenger._

"Stark, how lovely to see you again. How's that girlfriend of yours, I think I would like to pay her a visit," he clearly wanted a fight.

If he wasn't such a moron it might have been funny.

"I'm sure she would love that but sadly she won't be anywhere near you, I'm making that happen as we speak," he typed into phone not even looking at me or Loki.

"Thanks for getting here so soon Maria," I thanked her.

She smiled for a second.

"Of course, as soon as we get anything on Loki the closest one of us comes to collect him," she said.

"Because everyone just wants to welcome me back," he scoffed.

"I thought you were in New York that's not very close. How'd you get here so fast?" I asked.

She touched her nose indicating it was classified. Tony prodded Loki.

"Get in the car reindeer games," he said.

_Reindeer Games?_ This man gets weirder and weirder. I watched Loki get into the Ferrari. It was the most beautiful car I'd ever seen. He sat in the back sulking like a child. He caught my eye and winked at me. He was insufferable.

"You too highlights," he looked at me.

"Me? What the hell! You think this is my fault," I said outraged.

"No, I didn't say that. I said get in the car highlights," he repeated.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I'm Ironman and I told you to," he said.

His tone impatient now. I got into the back next to Loki. "It looks like we'll be spending some time together after all," he mused.

I really, really wanted to be sick right now.


	3. Chapter II

**A/N: Hello it's me again. You are all probably sick of these updates. :) If you are wondering where my update for ****_What is Right _****it's coming I swear but I have to make some adjustments. I would like to thank some people (If your getting sick of me thanking people just skip to the story or leave me a message in the review section yeah) ** **MrsFredWeasley101 and jjgoodhope for following this story. And yet again the lovely** **Sapphire Roz for putting this on their favourite list and for reviewing. And last of all everyone who's ever taken their time to read this. Please R&amp;R and F&amp;F if you like. Please enjoy**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter II

If someone came up to me yesterday and told me I would be sitting in Tony's Stark's Ferrari next to the god of mischief I would of laughed straight to their face. Maybe even call a mental institution to lock them away forever. Alas this was real and this was happening.

I was sitting in the leather backseat of a self-proclaimed genius, billionaire, playboy, who was also a philanthropist. _Yay!_ The only thought I had _shoot me now_.

"My thoughts exactly," Loki said, yet again reading my mind.

I hated that so much.

"Um, Mr Stark. Not criticising or anything but America's a long, way a way and I don't really think this car is going to get there. With the up most respect sir, I think you are slightly insane, no offence sir," I said nervously.

I trailed off on the last word when he turned round to look at me, taking his sunglasses off.

"I like you highlights, very respectful even when you're criticising me," he mused.

"Sir, um yeah, I do have a name y'know," I said.

"Yeah, duh but you have highlights and it sounds cool… What is your name?" he asked.

"Zara Haley," I said.

"Cool, I love your accent it's awesome," he announced.

I blushed a bright pink. Loki huffed.

"If we are done complementing each other can you please get onto your genius plan? Locking me up no doubt?" Loki's words harsh as ever.

"I really, really would love to whoop your arse but there is a chance your brother might come and kill me so I won't," he sighed.

Loki laughed another cruel laugh. He was staring at me. I could feel his cold, green eyes glaring at the back of my neck. The very hairs on my neck stood up on end. It was the worse sensation I'd ever experienced.

"What!" I yelled at him.

_ Ok that was a first; yelling at a god._

"Stop staring at me!" I said.

He sneered. I took the scarf I was wearing and mugged Loki with it. His eyes glared at me but no longer could he say spiteful nasty things to me or anyone else, for a while.

"It is official I really like this girl, where'd you find her Maria?" he said.

Maria ignored him and pressed a red button. It felt like I was going through a portal or something. G-force for sure. It felt like my skin was being pulled from my face. I was clinging on to my seat for dear life. Nobody else seemed to be affected by this. The car stopped suddenly. We stopped outside Stark Tower! _OMG that just happened, greatest day ever!_ My thoughts were a scramble of joy and craziness. I stepped out of the Ferrari. Clearly it took some getting used to, traveling that quickly. I felt really dizzy and fell backwards. Someone caught me I guessed it was Tony but I turned to see it was Loki. Loki? I stood up and elbowed him. Sadly he undid his muzzle.

"Excuse me girl I believe I just caught you and this is how you thank me, elbowing me?" he said disgusted.

"I don't need you to save me Loki, I fight my own battles, thank you very much," I hissed.

"Fine, next time I'll let you fall, however high a building you are pushed from," he threatened.

I laughed, he may be able to read my mind but he was an idiot. He clearly didn't know about my powers.

I followed after Tony and Maria. Loki, reluctantly followed us into the lift. He looked huge in the tiny lift. He was really, really tall. I wasn't short, I never have been. I was five foot seven and a half, nearly as tall a Tony Stark and he was quite short, for a guy. I guessed Loki was over six foot for certain. He looked even taller because of his thin physique. The lift was cramped to say the least. After we travelled up for a few floors we got out of the lift.

"I'll find a place to store bag of cats over here and then when we can talk," he said.

He walked off and Maria followed him. _Be cool Zara, you're just in Stark Tower, home of the Avengers. Nothing special, no need to freak out or anything… Don't freak out you're in the house of the Avengers! _Luckily, before I had a major freak out Tony walked in. He nodded his head pointing towards the sofa. I sat down awkwardly on the sofa. Rubbing my hands on my trousers. My hands were really clammy.

"I'm really thirsty," he complained.

I put my hand out and a glass from the bar came to me, I held out my out my other hand and a bottle of scotch flew towards me and I caught it. I poured him the drink and passed it to him. He was flabbergasted, his face was astounded.

"You're… You're telekinetic?" he asked.

I smiled, and shrugged.

"That's how Maria knows me, I'm on the SHIELD threat list, well I was, until y'know Hydra," I explained.

"Awesome," he said. "So you can do that with anything?" he asked.

"Yeah," I shrugged.

"Ok, Steve's training right now with his shield, could you rip it off him?" he asked.

"Yeah but why?" I asked.

He put his legs on the table. I put my hand out, imagining, thinking of the shield. Visualising it. I felt the weight of the shield flying towards me. I caught it in my hand. Tony clapped my shoulder.

"You're the person this team needs. Someone to liven it up a bit. I the only with any charisma around here. Me and you are gonna have a laugh," he declared.

I smiled. _The person this team needs._

Captain America walked into the room. He stood in the middle of the room.

"He made me do it!" I pointed to Tony.

The Captain glared at Tony. I stood up and gave him the shield.

"I'm really sorry," I apologised.

He took the shield from me.

"It's ok, I don't blame you," he glared at Tony again.

"I'm Steve by the way," he put his hand out for me to shake.

"Zara, hi," I shook his hand, blushing slightly.

He smiled a warm smile. He looked in to my eyes. _Am I having a moment with an avenger? Captain America! I have a boyfriend. Not that he'll believe me. What he doesn't know can't hurt him, right?_ I thought. In the background Tony was making a puking sound.

"Typical you, always trying to steal my spotlight," Tony grumbled.

"Well maybe I wouldn't have to come and bother you if you hadn't taken my shield from me. If you hate me so much then why would you invite me to come live here?" he asked.

"She did it not me," Tony pointed at me.

He stood up and stormed out of the room.

"Oops," I bit my lip.

"That's Tony for you, he'll be fine. He has a diva moment then he's ok," Steve explained.

I laughed it made sense though. A skyscraper with your name own it, what else would you be but a diva? Probably why he and Loki clash; clash of the divas. Or the fact Loki's an egomaniac, psycho, murderer who wanted to rule the earth and make everyone kneel. _Maybe a bit of both._

"So why are you here?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes.

"You wouldn't believe me but Loki ended up on my doorstep," I said.

"You invited him in?!" he said astonished.

"Hell no, he barged in and ate all my leftovers. Kind of did me a favour I didn't want to eat it anyway," I joked.

He sat down, clearly he wasn't in joking mood. It was my primary defence make a joke of everything, if you have nothing to say, laugh. Making people laugh that, was a superpower. I loved to see a smile tug at someone's lips and hear a laughed escape their lips. I was unsure if I should sit down, next to him or just stay standing.

"Loki, coming back, that bad isn't it," I had to state the obvious.

In all fairness I wasn't an Avenger so I didn't really know.

"It is. But why? Why would he come back?" he asked.

Clearly expecting an answer. Loki told absolutely nothing. Nothing I didn't already know. _Why would he anyway? I was just a person. He was god, why would he intrust me with anything, surprisingly he didn't._

"I don't know, how would I?" I asked him.

Wondering why he expected I knew.

"Just a thought, he might have opened up to you because you didn't seem like a threat or because you're pretty," he said.

_ Did he just call me pretty?_ I blushed a violet shade.

"Pretty? Me? You smooth old man," I laughed.

"I didn't mean… I'm… It wasn't meant to come out like that," he stuttered.

I sat down next to him.

"It's ok, gives me something to tweet about: Captain America thinks I'm pretty," I said.

He blushed the brightest red I'd ever seen.

"I'm joking, wow, you're kind of uptight. I won't tell anyone," I said.

He sighed a sigh of relief.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

He locked the door. Locking me inside. Without anything to amuse myself but four walls. Yet again I was to rot in chains, in a cell. Forever locked away from everything. Alone. Always alone. My ambition and desire to rule was my down bringing. Everything I'd ever wanted, everything I deserved was denied of me. Was this to me my fate?! Locked away in cell! If not on Asgard then on some other god forbidden realm! Alone! I was to be ignored, and hated. Unloved, unloved! Unneeded, unloved! _You deserve this, you are a criminal you are evil. You know that, Thor, Odin, and the Avengers know that. Frigga not even she could deny your evil. You revel in others discomfort and pain. You are evil, you should die. Unloved, forgotten and hated._

"Unloved," I whispered and fell to my knees. No one was around to see my weakness. Even if they were why would they care? Unloved…


	4. Chapter III

**A/N: I'm on a roll today, two updates in one day. (I've finally updated What Is Right go check it out if you like) Thanks to anyone who's read this. It means a lot. Thanks to mustacheman19 who added this to their favourites** **and thanks once again to the awesome Sapphire Roz who never fails to read and review this. I would like to give a little shout out to my boys in New Zealand (England Rugby Boys) They were great this morning, sadly they didn't win but they've got in in them. You do it next time boys. Swing low, sweet chariot, Comin' for to carry me home,Swing low, sweet chariot, Comin' for to carry me home. I love rugby. Thanks again for taking time to read this. R&amp;R and F&amp;F**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter III

Awkward. That's how I felt right now. I sat at a table with the Avengers. Tony Stark, Steve Rodgers, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton and Maria Hill. Sadly no Thor. I really wanted to meet him, he is… Well, you know Thor. Thor equals hot. _What was I doing at this table?_ That is what worried me the most. If I didn't think I deserved to sit here, what would the others think?

"Who are you?" Clint asked.

"Zara Haley, hey," I said.

"What she doing here," he asked Stark.

_Rude. Clearly he doesn't know I can still hear him._

"She's here because I said so and if you don't like that Legolas you can leave," he said.

I smiled, not many people can say Tony Stark stood up for them.

"Yeah, there is a bigger issue right now Clint, Loki," Steve said.

"I was just asking," he moaned.

"Ok I worked out a schedule of who will watch over Loki at what time. Bruce you start he watch at seven until eleven. I'll be next until three. Then Clint until oh you get the picture for four hours basically. Then Natasha, Zara and lastly Cap. Sorry Zara I know your new to the whole Avenger thing but I trust you'll be fine and Cap you're the super solider I think you can get up in the middle of the night to watch a god, ok? Cool," Tony said.

_Did he just call me an Avenger? OMG! I'm having the best day in the world ever._ He looked bat his watch

"Okay eleven that means I get to have fun with the god, yay. Bruce, give Zara the tour. Try and not scare her away if you know what I mean," he said before walking off to babysit Loki.

Bruce stood up and came shook my hand.

"Looks like you've joined our team, welcome to crazy town. I'm Bruce," he smiled.

"I know, it's an honour to meet you Doctor, Bruce, your work is… is mind blowing, really. Zara by the way," I said.

"You've read my work?" he asked, surprised.

I ran my fingers through my hair. Clearly he didn't have many fans. Probably a whole lot of haters. For being the Hulk and all.

"Yeah, I quoted some of your work a uni, let's just say I was top of the class. And my teachers favourite," I laughed.

He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"That's… That's nice. Impressive. Slightly flattered," he stuttered.

I smiled. My phone vibrated in my pocket with a text from my friend Megan: **S'up Za? What you doing?** Seriously that girl choses the most annoying times to text me. I replied with: **Can't talk, busy. TTYL.** I put my phone back in my pocket and decide to ignore it whoever is calling.

"Sorry about that, just my friend annoying me. So I believe you were gonna give me a tour," I said. He smiled.

The tower was magnificent. The rooms were extravagant and clearly very expensive. There was a gym, a home cinema, a workshop (probably for Tony's inventions) even a laboratory. It was better than any museum I'd ever seen. Every room had something about it, something that made it special, different. Either they had a great interior decorator or Tony thought carefully about each and every room. The last room Bruce brought me to, was the lab. There was lots of microscopes, various science stuff and a load of stuff I couldn't name even if I bothered. I did do science at university but I did physics not this stuff, whatever it is.

"Whoa," I exclaimed.

He smiled. I followed him into the room. Admiring everything about it.

"So this is where you spend your time? Wow, I normally just watch TV," I said.

He laughed thinking I was joking. I wasn't.

"So… Sorry I keep saying so," I apologised.

I felt really stupid talking to him.

"It's ok," he said.

I looked around the room, it was like being back at school. Not in a bad way surprisingly, maybe because it wasn't or Bruce's passion filling the room.

"So why have you joined the team?" he asked.

I opened my mouth to speak but by accident I knocked a test tube down. A reflex kicked in a pushed it up with my telekinesis, then pulling it towards me and catching it in my hand. "Phew," I exclaimed. He looked at me, eyes wide with fascination.

"You're telekinetic?" he asked.

I gave him back the test tube and smiled sheepishly.

"That's… That's amazing!" he declared.

I smiled, for the first time in forever people admired me, and my power. They didn't fear me, like everyone seemed to. I almost began fearing myself. Now, now I have people like me. People with exceptional powers, somewhere where I would finally fit in.

"How long have been… Where you born with it, or was it a mistake… An experiment?" he asked.

"Born with it," I told him.

He smiled, he clearly was completely transfixed with my power.

"That's impressive," he said no longer looking at my face when he was speaking to me.

He was looking at my arm. Clearly, he wanted to take a sample of my blood to run some tests on.

"You can take some of my blood if you want to Bruce," I said.

He smiled "Are you telepathic too?" he questioned.

"No, it was just written on your face," I laughed.

He bit his lip. He took a clean syringe, well at least I hoped it was clean. He injected the needle into my skin. I winced slightly.

"Sorry," he apologised.

I shook it off, _don't show weakness Zara, then maybe he might like you. Ha, that would be a first._ He removed the syringe, full with my blood. He looked at the syringe, shaking it slightly. _Ok, just shake my blood around, whatever._ For a while Bruce just looked at me, looking in my eyes, like a weird gaze thing. It was really strange, I'm not sure why. Maybe he wasn't even looking at me, just lost in thought… Maybe.

"Um, Bruce? You just gonna stand there with my blood or are you gonna examine it?" I asked.

Wanting to break the awkwardness.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. It may take some time though, I tell you when I've made a break through," he said.

I think that was Bruce's way of telling me to go. At least it was polite, I guess.

I decided I better find a hotel to stay in or whatever, while this whole Loki fiasco was happening. I went to leave the tower when Tony ran up to me.

"Hey, hey, hey? Where are you going? You can't be sick of me already, it hasn't even been a day yet," he said.

I laughed

"No, I'm not sick of you Tony, I just have to find a place to stay as you won't let me go home, coz of this Loki thingamabob," I said before pressing the down button on the lift ... elevator whatever.

"No. One Loki is not just a thingamabob he is a massive royal godlike pain in the arse. Two you aren't going anywhere. You can stay here, you're one of us now Zara. We should pin badges, maybe a jersey," he said.

"Yeah and all write autobiographies, and start a fan page oh yeah maybe start selling merchandise," I said sarcastically.

"Yeah, that would… Hey! I was being serious. Oh well, it would be slightly strange, us having like team costumes. Imagine Hulk or Thor, hysterical," he laughed.

"Yeah, or you or Cap," I joined in with the joke.

The lift came up the doors flung open. Tony walked off, indicating me to follow him. I followed him through the rooms and corridors. He stopped outside a door. He looked over at me, waiting for me to open the door. I twisted the door knob and then pushed the door open.

The room was painted a mint green colour, my favourite colour. It had several shelves packed with books and DVDs. There was a flat screen TV. Definitely, HD. The bed was huge. With satin, maybe silk duvet, in the matching pale green. There was a window seat with white curtains draping around it. It was better than any hotel I'd ever stayed in. There was also an en suite. It was wonderful.

"Your room, if you want to stay," Tony said.

I smiled. Suddenly I found myself hugging him. I pulled away quickly.

"Sorry, I… I hug… Sorry," I looked down to my toes.

"It's fine," he said, gulping slightly afterwards.

He went to leave the room then I called after him

"Thank you Tony, for everything."

He smiled running his fingers through his hair before leaving. I sat down on the bed, feeling the soft fabric, I knew I was home. For once, I belonged.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I sat, enclosed, caved into the monotony that was my cell. Not one of the pathetic Avengers dared to make conversion with me. Even if they did their empty speech wouldn't of register in my mind anyway. Counting the lights couldn't save me from my boredom. Life, had just reached a new low.

I dragged myself out of the safety and warmth of my bed. Placing my feet on the cool marble. I yawned, rubbing my eyes. I looked at my phone 10:45. I was shattered. I stood up, rolling my shoulders back. I really didn't want do this but Tony had done so much for me so I guess I had to repay the favour. By babysitting a demi god, yay. I pulled some jogging bottoms on and a black t-shirt on. Putting my phone in my pocket in the process. I didn't really care what I was wearing. It was the middle of the night, not a fashion show. I put on my trainers and walked out of my room, still tired. I walked over to the place they were holding Loki. Natasha was sitting in a chair, not even facing Loki.

"Hey," I said.

She passed me a key and muttered in my ear "Loki, hasn't spoken at all, luckily. Night."

I went and sat in the chair. I took my phone out my pocket. I began typing an email to my boyfriend Bradley:

_Hey Bradley,_

_I'm really sorry but I'm gonna have to cancel our date on Thursday but surprisingly I'm in America, New York to be precise. Don't even ask; I don't understand why. It's pretty crazy out here, see you soon though. _

_Lots of Love_

_Zara xxx_

I pressed send and within a second I got a text back from him: **No worries babe C U soon xxx.** I smiled, he was so sweet and always replied to all of my texts and emails straight away.

"Why are you smiling mortal?" Loki asked, his words cruel as ever.

I turned to look at him "Why does it bother you? People being happy and having a good time. Would you like it if cried your highness?" I snapped.

I wasn't letting him get one over me. I turned back to my phone and typed: **Miss you xxx.** Again he replied with: **Miss you more baby, I'll miss you until you're in my arms again xxx .** I blushed a bright pink, his words were always so sweet. It was untrue. Loki rolled his eyes, scoffing at my pinkness. I ignored him. I couldn't let him annoying me. That was a hard task though.

"It is funny is it not? The Avengers have put you, a weak little girl, in charge of me. So amusing, apparently you are a match for me. I am a god and you are but a child, wishing to fit in," he laughed sourly.

"You're a moron," I declared.

He laughed again, clearly revelling in my anger. I turned the chair around to look straight at him. His sharp green eyes stared right into mine, but I wasn't fazed.

"We're gonna set down some round rules oh mighty king. One stop talking to me, two don't underestimate me, you'll regret it and three stop staring at me, it's creepy," I demanded.

I turned away from him. I stood up, stretching slightly, still tired from the early wakening. I heard a strange purring in my ear.

"Shh," someone whispered in my ear.

I turned to see it was Loki. His slim fingers around my waist, and his lips to my ear. He pushed the hair of my neck.

"Get off," I tried to yell but it came out as more of a whimper.

He moved his hands down me, along my body. Feeling the curves in my waist. My whole body was tingling. It was a sensation, that didn't hurt nor did it feel nice. It was just there. His movements were calculated and thought over. A little part of me didn't want him to stop. Most of me hated it. I whimpered again. He stopped. Then he pulled me closer to him. He laughed slightly, leaning in to kiss my neck but I stepped backwards, stepping on his toes. Then kicking him. He seemed to fade away. It was just an image, a projection. My heart was racing, beating out of my chest. I hated it, he always left me breathless. Not even Bradley did that. I turned to look at Loki, sitting in his cell, laughing.

"How flipping dare you! Never touch me again!" I screamed.

"Why should I?" he challenged me.

I grabbed the air, Loki began choking, gasping for air. He scratched at the floor of the cell. Struggling for breath. I didn't allow it. Eventually I let him go. His breathing heavy and fast. He sat in his cell coughing.

"That's why," I said.

"Your telekinesis won't always be able to save you girl," he threatened.

"Don't hold your breath," I joked.

"One day girl, you'll give in," he said.

"To what?" I asked.

He stood up, walking towards me. I was thankful for the glass in-between us. "Me," he said.

Placing his hand on the glass smiling. A smile that could curdle milk. "You can't fight it forever, you are just another weak girl. You are mine to control," he growled.

"Um, no. I think you got the wrong girl. I could kill you," I said boldly.

He looked at me, without scorn or hatred but interest.

"I hate you," I said.

"You don't, however much you tell yourself, you don't And you never will," he said.

I ignored him for the rest of the time I had to watch over him. Steve came over before the end of my shift. I passed him the key and walked away, without saying anything to anyone. Loki's words echoed in my head. _I did hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him_.


	5. Chapter IV

**A/N: Chapter 4! I hope you like it. Wow, 333 reads my new favourite number. I'm really flattered and humbled by the positive feedbacks. Thank you SO much, again, to Sapphire Roz who never fails to read and review this story. People like her is what makes me want to write more. Thanks to anyone who's reading this. R&amp;R and F&amp;F**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter IV

The more you learn about a person the more interesting they seem. Or in this case the more you learn about someone the more appealing they are. And the easier it is to annoy them, the more fun you have.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I got out of bed at ten in the morning. I still felt tingly from last night. _Man Loki's a creep._ _He takes paedophiles to a whole another level._ I washed my hair with coconut shampoo and conditioner. I stepped out of the shower drying my hair with my towel. Combing through the knots in my hair. Combing my parting with the blue streaks in it. Drying my hair was easy with my power, I could combust things, and if I tone it down a bit you could dry your hair without need for a hairdryer. I'd been in New York for almost week now. It didn't seem that long but it had been. _We_ Avengers had to watch over Loki. I really hated waking up in the middle of the night then to be insulted by Loki. Occasionally I'd call Bradley, just to hear some sense or other times call Megan. She was busy a lot though, being a writer and all. I missed England, I missed the rugby, the people and the unpredictable weather. Steve was talking something about Sam coming to visit or whatever. I'm pretty sure Sam Wilson is Falcon. I was excited about that, not partially because I wanted to meet him but this could be an opportunity to get out of Loki watch but sadly not today. I put on a pink lacy dress and a brown belt around the waist. I walked out of my room, going to go get some breakfast.

I walked into the kitchen and Clint was standing there. He ignored me completely. He hated me, it was a plain as day. Everyone else welcomed me with open arms, Clint still resented me. _I didn't know why, did I offend him? Maybe he had something against English people?_

"Why'd you hate me?" I said, my outburst surprising him.

"What? I didn't say I hated you," he said.

He went to walk past me, but I pushed him back.

"No! Neither of us are leaving until you give me an answer. You have something against women? Maybe something against English people or do you just hate me?" I asked.

He stepped back, sighing, not wanting to answer my question.

"No, I don't… I'd… Ok! Fine! You wanna know why I hate you?" he said.

_ Yes, of course I do, that's why I asked you._ "You, you just come waltzing on in here with Tony's blessing and now you're one of us. We saved the world, what have you done? Nothing," he said.

His every word cut me open, and made me bleed. It felt like a punch to the stomach.

"Let me prove myself, anything. How about archery?" I offered.

He looked at me, eyes laughing but his face wasn't. "Are you sure? You don't want to be embarrassed that much do you?" he asked.

I laughed "I'm up for challenge. Ok let's sweeten the deal. If I win you can't ignore me anymore and I can call you Katniss for the whole week," I said.

He looked interested. He ran his fingers through his sandy coloured hair.

"But if I win, which I will, I can carry on ignoring you and I'll call you… um… Loser for the rest of the week," he said.

_Wow, inventive, loser. Keep that up Clint._ I put my hand out and he shook with authority. He walked off to go practice. _Something just occurred to me; I can't use a bow and arrow._

I stood in Tony's basketball court (He didn't seem like a basketball person but oh well.) My hands were shaking. I was really nervous. I don't know what I was thinking, _why would I ask the world's best archer to an archery competition? Oh yes, I know, because I'm an idiot._ Tony set up a two targets. Everyone came to watch, even Bruce was pulled away from his experiments to witness my failure. I didn't do archery club at school my excuse was: _When will I ever need it?_ I hate myself, _stupid Zara you are a moron._

I was.

I hated losing why, oh why would I challenge him to something I bound to lose in? Clint took his arrow, and aimed at the target. Surprise, surprise bull's-eye. I took my arrow, placing it into my bow. Aiming at the target, aiming and praying. I let go of the arrow. Everything seemed to happen so slowly, I didn't even know it happened. My arrow hit the target, not did it only hit the target, and it stuck in there.

"BULL'S- EYE!" Tony yelled.

I blinked, my target had an arrow in it. _My arrow!_ I squealed.

"Ok, ok who can knock their opponent arrow out of the target is the winner," Tony declared.

Clint walked in front of my. Positioned, ready to blow this out of the park, ready to beat me. He let go of his arrow, letting it soar. It hit the target, but not my arrow. My arrow stood, standing. I walked over to Clint's target. Wiping my brow slightly. Ready myself, placing the bow in the arrow. Whispering a small thing to myself. _Don't miss, come on, don't lose now._ I let go of the arrow, closing my eyes, fearing the outcome. Everyone was cheering and Tony was yelling, screaming. I opened eyes, my arrow went through Clint's shredding it. Mine was the last one standing, I was the victor! Tony raised my arm above my head.

"Zara Haley, the best archer in the world!" he declared.

Everyone clapped. I looked over to Steve who smiled, causing me to blush and look away. I looked over to Clint, he was bewildered. He put his hand out, which I shook.

"Good job," he said.

"Thanks Katniss, maybe next time," I said.

"You bet, I'll beat you next time, after I'm done crying," he laughed.

"Maybe you're not the completely useless wannabe I thought you were," he said.

It almost sounded like a compliment.

"Yeah and you're not the complete stuck up archer you appear to be," I laughed.

"As Clint… I mean Katniss lost I think it is only fair he buys the pizza, am I right?" he said.

Clint rolled his eyes, hating the new nickname, and the prospect of losing and paying for the pizza.

"Fine," he said.

We all cheered in unison. The rest walked off, leaving me and Clint standing in the court.

"Up high, Hawkeye," I said raising my hand in the air.

"What, no Katniss?" he asked surprised.

"Nah, you're gonna get enough of it from Tony and probably Natasha too. I'd thought I would let you off the hook," I said.

He high fived me, putting his arm around my shoulder. I put mine around his. _Man he is fickle_ one second he hated me the next he doesn't.

* * *

We all sat around the table. The pizza boxes in the middle. The aroma drifting through the air. Tony raised his wine glass, high in the air.

"To Zara!" he declared.

"Zara!" everyone chorused in unison.

I blushed a bright red. I took a sip of the wine, laughing. Everyone took a slice of pizza, as did I. Taking a bite, sitting at a table with the avengers. Friends, the best I'd ever had. I found my place. I belonged. Nothing in my life ever made sense before but the one thing I was sure of: I was home.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

Those insufferable mortals, those Avengers. Their never ending chatter and noise. If I still possessed my magic I would have muted their ignorant words a long time ago. I could project an image of myself but that was it, all of magic I once controlled was taken from me by Odin. The redheaded Russian spy sat outside my cell. She did not even look at me, not that I wanted her too. The only one of these people I made conversation with was the telekinetic girl. She was interesting, and very easy to annoy. The noise only grew. The must be drinking.

_There was a time when Thor and I would stay up to the crack of dawn in the tavern. Drinking Asgard's best ale until neither of us could even slur a sentence. We laughed for so long by the end of this fit no one could even remember what was so amusing. Everything changed when Thor was announced as the heir to the throne. He had to greet the public and do other kingly things. I was left, alone._

"Sentiment," I growled.

The spy turned to look at me. I stared right back at her, causing her to turn away. My foolish sentiment.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I walked away from the table, knowing if I stayed I'd end up being drunk, which wouldn't be useful looking after Loki. I sat down on the sofa, making sure I didn't sit anywhere near the red stain. I was hoping that was wine not blood. Anyway I like this dress. I knew I would probably have to go by some new clothes but I'd much rather just use my telekinesis to bring all my clothes here. Steve came over and sat next to me, barely missing the stain.

"Hey, that was pretty impressive what you did out there, the archery," he smiled.

"Well, if I'm honest, I've never used a bow and arrow," I admitted, laughing slightly.

"That's amazing then, beating Clint at his own game, what next? Are you gonna throw a shield better than me or use technology better than Tony?" he asked laughing.

"Not sure yet, I like to life everyday as it comes. I think about it though," I said.

I felt him looking at me, not the intense, creepy stare I get from Loki but kinder, softer. I looked up at him, his blue eyes warm. My heart was beating too fast. Too fast for just friends. _We are just friends right?_ I couldn't turn away but I didn't know what to say either. He took one of my hands in his, I could feel my heart melting. My phone rang, for a second I ignored it but then I picked it up of the coffee table; Bradley. It was almost as if he knew someone else was holding my hands, so he called to stop it. I picked it up.

"Hey Bradley," I said.

"Hi, I've missed your voice, and you. Basically you not just your voice. That would be weird," he laughed.

Normally I would have laughed, but it just didn't seem very funny. I mouthed sorry to Steve and got up walked away, leaving the super solider, sitting on the sofa, alone. I went and sat on my bed in my room.

"I miss you too but I can't come home, not yet anyway. You wouldn't believe what I did today," I said getting too excited.

"What did you do then?" he asked.

I opened my mouth to tell him but then I thought about it. I can't tell him. _No one can know I'm with the Avengers. No one can know Loki is here. It will freak everyone out._

"Um, I went shopping in New York and asked if they had trousers, they didn't know what I meant so I had to call them pants. Isn't that funny," I laughed nervously.

"Yeah… Ha, ha, ha. Um see you soon then babe," he said, hanging up on me.

I felt like a complete idiot but it's better than him finding out why I was really in the USA. I flopped down onto my bed, trying to get a bit of sleep before waking up for Loki time. _Yay!_ Not.

I woke up reluctantly, groaning as I pulled my heavy body out of bed. Brushing all knots out of my hair and washing the sleep out of my eyes. Grabbing my phone and earplugs to save me from speaking with Loki. Natasha passed me the keys and walked away. Lucky, I was still here completely and utterly knackered. I put my earphones in and turned it up to block out whatever that god over there was saying. I played Dear Darlin' by Olly Murs, another thing I missed about England, the music. I had a feeling Loki was trying to talk to me but I had no intention of listening. Suddenly I got an electric shock in my ears. I took the earphones out of my ears. They were stinging still.

"Oi!" I yelled at him.

"You were not listening to me, so I thought I'd make you listen," he sneered.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I have not been given food in three days, I am hungry," he said.

I sighed, dragging myself from the chair to the kitchen. I took a cold slice of pizza out of the fridge, placing it on a plate and bringing it to him. I caught it in my hand and unlocked the small hatch in Loki's glass cell. Passing it through the hatch and closing it quickly afterwards. He looked at it with disgust.

"What is this?" his words cutting and harsh.

"Pizza," my words blunt.

I didn't want to talk to him.

"Where is the cutlery? Or do you expect me to eat it with my hands like an ape?" he laughed cruelly.

"Duh, it's pizza. Not dinner with the queen. Let me guess you want a serviette and a finger bowl. Maybe a butler? Guess what princess? You're in prison. It doesn't get better," I dug.

I could feel his intense stare again.

"Princess?" he scorned.

"Yeah, you're sure as hell acting like one. And you've got long hair, would you like me to braid it for you your majesty?" I mocked.

He smirked. I hated how he took every one of my insults. He laughed or came back with something better. He was beyond irritating and beyond hating.

"I feel sorry you. Y'know. You are so alone and hated. By everyone and everything. Your family, friends and even people that don't know you. You build stupid barriers to keep people out and lock yourself away. You blame everyone else but yourself. Alone and unloved. What kind of life is that?" I said.

My words not harsh and cruel as his would have been. I honestly felt sorry for him. He was a recluse and hated. _What kind of a life was that?_ He chose it for himself when he invaded Earth. He looked at me, eyes clouded by tears he refused to cry. And for a second he almost looked human. For a second I thought he had feelings and emotions. Then I remember all those innocent people he hurt. Nothing I could say or do would make him pay the way he should. He was evil. He picked up the pizza, not looking me in the eyes. I hurt him. I felt bad, I felt awful but he deserved it. It was not recompense for what he did though but at least it was a start to his punishment.

I'm sure I heard him whisper "You're right."

Steve ran over to me. Half an hour late.

"You're late!" I complained.

"I know, and I'm really sorry. Tony was drunk, surprise, surprise, so Clint and I had to deal with him. Natasha couldn't be bothered and when I looked for Bruce he'd already ran off. Tony is the worse when he's drunk," he apologised.

"Fine," I huffed slightly.

_ Stupid drunk stupid Tony._ "I'll turn up extra early tomorrow to make up for it," he said.

I gave him the key. "

Thanks," I called after I left.

Always the gentleman.


	6. Chapter V

**A/N: Hey! Chapter five. Drum roll please... Thor, is in this chapter! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. (Seriously, it was fun.) I yet again find myself in debt to the epic Sapphire Roz, her review made my day. R&amp;R and F&amp;F. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Zara and the storyline. If I did own Marvel (Which I sadly don't) Odin would of been nicer to Loki.**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter V

"Thor we have been arguing about this for the past week. My mind will not change and I will say one more time, no," the tone in Odin's voice agitated.

He had no desire to argue with his son. His decision will not change however much Thor pestered him.

"Father! You are being unreasonable," Thor said.

Odin sighed, taking his seat in the throne. His head in his hand.

"Please father, I know your actions were in the best intentions of Asgard but not for him. Did you think of Loki? Did he cross your mind when you made his decision?" Thor asked.

His resilience was admirable. It would do him well when he was king but now it was unnecessary.

"Please Thor," Odin begged.

"They will kill him. Loki will die! He has done many a stupid and unforgiveable thing but he is still my brother and he is still your son!" Thor pleaded.

"Maybe this time his death will be real! I do not wish to upset you but Loki shall stay on Midgard until he learns the gravities of his crimes. And as far as I am concerned he shall never return. His pride, and hurt stop him from being the good man he once was," Odin reasoned with him.

Thor's face unreadable but his thoughts were clear. He was disgusted by him and how little regard he had for Loki. Everything Odin did had a reason Thor became a better man on Midgard and with time it may change his other son too. Thor went to leave the room

"Thor, one more thing, if you even think of going to Midgard and collecting Loki your mortal shall pay the price for your disobedience. Do you understand?" Odin called after him.

Thor nodded silently.

"Yes father," were his only words before he left the room.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I was awoken by a text. I was really hoping it was important, I would have preferred to stay asleep. It was Bruce that was a surprise. It said: **Hey Zara, when you're not busy meet me in the lab. Exciting news.** It was funny how he typed out every word no text slang what so ever. I replied with: **Gr8**. I brushed my hair out of my face and pulled on a green shirt and a pair of dark blue demin shorts. I know the shirt was clashing with my hair but whatever. I opened the door to the lab. Bruce was examining something in a microscope. When I walked into the room Bruce stood up.

"Zara, hey, thanks for coming," he greeted me.

I smiled and walked over to him.

"S'up, so what's the news?" I asked.

He moved away from the microscope, I sat in the seat, guessing he wanted me to look at whatever he was examining. I looked into the microscope. Cells. Red blood cells. That's all I saw. My red blood cells, not really something to rave about. I looked back up at Bruce.

"Red blood cells," I said.

"Yes, but look closer," he told me.

I readjusted the microscope. In the cells there were some blue spots.

"Blue spots?" I asked looking up at Bruce, my face concerned.

Bruce pulled up a chair and sat next to me.

"Yes, that's your telekinetic power, it flows through your blood and your cells. The amount of spots also determines how much power you possess. There are about a hundred of those spots. That means your power is…" he stopped speaking.

Leaving me on the edge of my seat.

"Does that mean I'm powerful?" I asked.

Bruce pushed his glasses up his nose.

"There are five levels of telekinetic power. Your level six," he explained.

_Level six? How can I be level six? There are only five levels._

"Theoretically speaking you could age shift: by manipulating the cells through telekinesis, you could potentially achieve immortality. Even dimensional travel: you could bend the very fabric of dimensional barriers, allowing travel through wormholes or teleportation-like movement," Bruce suggested only some of the things I could do.

It was all sinking in, I was powerful. Not just powerful but a formidable threat. To everyone and everything.

"Were your parents telekinetic?" he asked me.

I opened my mouth to speak but the words didn't come. A lump grew in my throat and my eyes watered.

"I… I don't know… I'm adopted. I've never met my birth parents," I mumbled.

Bruce placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know," he apologised.

I smiled weakly. "It's not your fault."

I could feel the hurt and betrayal crawling through my veins. The emotions that ate away at me for so long now. I just wanted to know who they were, I just wanted to belong. Silence swept the room like a disease.

Bruce broke the silence with "Can I ask you a favour?" I looked up at him.

"Yeah," I said.

He passed me a syringe.

"Could you get some blood from Loki? I need to examine it," he said.

"Ok… But you owe me one Bruce," I said.

I went to leave the lab but then I turned to look at him.

"How would I be able to do all that stuff? Like the dimensional travel?" I asked.

"Training," he said.

_Great, sounds too much like hard work._ I walked out of the lab, syringe in hand. I was going to take blood from a god.

* * *

(Thor's POV)

Thor stood outside Loki's cell. Still broken and stained. All the furniture, all his possessions nothing but ashes and shards. It was left the same from when they broke out. When Thor believed Loki was dead on his demand the cell was kept the same. He sat in it once, not long after winning the battle against Malekith. He had lost everything that day. His mother, brother, the throne and the woman he loves. Loki had deceived them yet again but gave no plausible explanation how he cheated death a second time. He thought he found Loki again, the real Loki. Not the mask of lies and hurt he wore. Thor still believed that somewhere inside there was still the Loki he once called his brother and his friend. He blinked away the tears. What was the point of shedding tears over him? As far as Loki was concerned Thor was dead to him. Loki wanted to be alone and he got what he wanted. Thor just wished he could have saved him before he fell from grace.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I hadn't gotten any sleep. My head ached and my eyes stung. I went to the fridge, finding a left over piece of cake. I grabbed a fork and made my way to Loki's cell. I took over from Natasha who gladly left. I sat down in the chair. I was about to take a bite out of the cake but then I had second thoughts. I opened the hatch and pushed the cake through. He looked up at me.

"Sorry about yesterday. What I said was rude and bang out of order. I don't know you and I don't have the right to make assumptions about you," I said.

He picked up the plate and took a minuscule bite of the cake. I shifted in the chair, my body aching from my sleepless night. I was sure I saw a smile tuck at the lips of the god for a second. We sat in silence for what seemed like forever. I couldn't help but look at him. He was striking and no one could deny that. His raven hair fell into his face, his dark eyelashes cloaked his emerald eyes. I looked away, not wanting to intrude his privacy. I remember my promise to Bruce, I was going to take some of Loki's blood.

"Give me your arm," I said.

He laughed at me. "Why?" he rolled his eyes, mocking me.

"I think it would to your advantage if you give me your arm," I smiled a seductive smile.

According to Bradley my smile could bring nations to their knees and conqueror any man in the world. Exaggeration to ay the least. His words not mine. He put his arm through the open hatch of the bottom of his cell. I walked two of my fingers up his arm. I drew a circle with the tip of my finger and then to his surprise pulled out a syringe and injected it into him. I pulled it out quickly after, full with the trickster's blood. "

Ha," I laughed.

Loki pulled his arm back, hissing at me, rolling his sleeve back down. Clearly annoyed that I played him. I placed it back in my pocket. Silence yet again fell over us.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I flopped against the wall of my cell. The crumbs of my cake still on the plate. I appreciated the gesture not that I'd ever let her know that. She took my blood, why would she do that? I did not believe she was a blood sucking immortal, a vampire, from legend and myth. Foolish mortals. Letting such truth fall into their stories. They didn't believe in magic, gods or anything they couldn't get their pathetic heads around.

I noticed her looking at me, I had no intentions of stopping her so I pretended to be disinterested in her. Her eyes searching my face, studying my features. What was she looking for? She caught my eye for a second she held my gaze before looking down. She turned away from me, letting the veil of silence once again ascend over us. For the rest of the time she watched over me she did not make conversation and I did not have any intention of starting one. However much I wished to converse with her what was I to say? She was the only one that even made an effort to make me feel better or worse. At least she tried. It was a first, for someone to care and to reach out. For me. To care enough or just to be bothered. For some reason, it meant the world to me. At half past two the super solider came to watch over me. He made a promise to Zara evidently which he kept. He whispered something in her ear, which made her giggle. She waved goodbye and walked away, leaving me waiting for our next encounter.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I paced back and forth in the lab. Waiting impatiently for the results. Bruce had been studying it for what seemed like forever and some more.

"Can you stop pacing Zara, it's really distracting," Bruce complained

I sat down in a chair, swinging my legs forwards and backwards.

"Shh," Bruce hushed me.

"I wasn't evening making a noise," I muttered to myself.

Bruce looked up at me and glared for a second before turning back to his work. Bruce was studying Loki's blood. The blood I put my life on the line for. Slight exaggeration but stealing blood from a god was the kind of rush I enjoyed. I was definitely adrenaline junkie. I lived on the edge whenever I could. It's pretty hard to do that working in an office. Especially considering I was a finance manager for some stupid business. I'd much rather be a stuntwoman or a BMX biker. Something cool. Something when my live is on the line. I still remember when I went to hospital with a broken arm.

_When the doctor asked me why I jumped out of the window three floors up. _

_I said "Someone dared me too."_

_ My mother's face disgraced and worried. The doctor asked why I listened to them. _

_My reply was "I'd rather die being remembered for something extraordinary than live and be forgotten." _

_My mother cried, I knew I was making her upset and bringing her worries. But she didn't understand. I thought, and I still do if I make a big enough noise and scream louder. Maybe, just maybe, my real parents might come and find me._

"Zara," Bruce looked up at me.

I ran over. Pushing my hair out of my face and behind my ears.

"What is it? Bruce? What?" I asked desperately.

I don't know I cared so much. But if Bruce could find out about me just from my blood and I was hoping he could do the same with Loki. I looked into the microscope. It was blood, normal blood as far as I could tell. Not green or really thick. Just normal. I looked closer, a fragment of metal.

"Metal?" I asked.

Bruce came and stood over me.

"Yes, I was studying it," he said.

"So is he like a cyborg or something. A robot?" I asked. Grasping at stupid ideas. Trying to understand, trying to find a reason.

"No, not a robot," he said.

_What kind of answer was that? Not a robot? Ok doctor gonna expand or just leave me hanging?_

"More like a tracker," he said.

"Tracker?!" I repeated.

_Tracker, tracker, tracker. What did this mean? Who would put a tracker in Loki?_

"What… What does this mean?" I ask, begging him for an answer and a solution.

My blood pressure was rising, I was hyperventilating.

"Calm down Zara, breath," he tried to settle me.

"Your one to talk!" I yelled.

The second the words fell from my lips, I knew it was a mistake. _Idiot! Why would you say that?_

"Bruce… I'm sorry," the guilt built up inside.

Also the fear that he might hulk out and kill me. Mostly guilt though.

"It's fine. I understand you're new to this. And aliens and all that stuff. I'm surprised you didn't run away screaming," he said.

"I do that mentally every time I have to watch Loki," I said, he laughed.

"You're quite impressive Zara, you know that?" he said.

I blushed a bright pink, laughing slightly.

Bruce, Tony and I stood in the lab. Tony scanned the metal and was searching for a match. Bruce was looking and studying it thoroughly. I was standing there like a plum. Apparently I could help, Bruce said I had a science degree, which I do, but its physics. I can't do chemistry or biology. I stood in the corner biting my nails. Tony threw the tablet on the floor. It smashed into tiny pieces, of hard drives and other computer parts.

"It's not there!" he moaned.

"What?" I asked.

"The!" he swore under his breath over and over. "The metal! It's not even in the periodic table!" he yelled.

He jumped up and down on the broken pieces of his once Stark Industries Tablet.

"Alien," I said bluntly.

Bruce looked up at the mention of the word.

"Loki equals alien right? So anyone who wants him, who isn't every other blooming person on the planet, must be alien. Am I wrong in thinking that?" I said, trying to explain to them my crazy theory.

"If I wasn't a genius I would say you are!" Tony said.

I think that was a compliment.

"Genius, Zara, honestly," Bruce said.

I blushed, Tony laughed at my redness.

"So genius, who?" Tony asked me.

"I thought that was you," I laughed.

"How about that dad of his," Tony asked.

"Odin?" I asked.

I heard the name once. I don't know how. Almost like a memory, a thought. Not mine though. Someone else's thoughts in my mind. I was going insane.

"No, I don't think so. He doesn't seem to care about Loki. From what Thor told us, he considers him dead to him. Loki's feelings are mutual," Bruce said.

"Thor?" I wondered aloud.

"Maybe but I doubt it. Putting a tracker in someone would require hurting them. Even though Loki has tried to kill him about a billion times Thor still seems willing to forgive him. So probably not Thor," Tony said.

"Argh! Who?" I complained.

No one answered my question. Maybe they were deep in thought or just as puzzled as I was.

"Maybe this is something beyond Loki. Beyond Asgard. Beyond everything we thought we knew. Maybe the person who wants Loki is evil. Beyond evil. A new disaster waiting to happen. And if Loki is caught up in this mess. It's the start of the apocalypse," Bruce said cynically.

_Beyond evil? More evil, than Loki? That was hard to believe. But if this was true, if Bruce was right, it was the end of the world._


	7. Chapter VI

**A/N: Hello! I know I updated yesterday but oh well. It's a early Christmas/ Birthday present. Man I have a lot of people to thank. Thanks to ****MissMikaelson26 who reviewed, followed this story, added it to her favourites and then added me to their favourite authors! I'll try and make it clearer who's POV it is :)**

**Thanks to the guest named Charlie for reviewing. Thanks to .9 for following and favouriting (who cares that's not a word) this story. And last and definitely not least to Sapphire Roz who as always reviewed. So thank you to you AMAZING people. I am very grateful and honestly humbled. R&amp;R and F&amp;F**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~ **

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter VI

I was awoken by what sounded like a stampede of Bilgesnipe. Oh, wait, this is worse. It was the unstoppable racket of the inhabitants of Stark Tower: The Avengers. _Earth's mightiest heroes? Earth's loudest fools, for_ sure. Heroes no, a group of miscreants with powers they shouldn't have and don't deserve, yes. Oh but the pathetic mortals of Midgard still them hails as heroes. Stupid. They seemed to be the only light in their otherwise desolate and monotonous routine. If they were the _light_, I would hate to see the dark. I opened my grudging eyes, to find Zara standing in front of my cell. It could not be eleven o'clock again could it?

"Loki," she said softly.

It was the first time she said my name like that. Most times it was a yell of hatred. It sent a tingle down my spine.

"Loki," she said again, still as sweetly as before.

I must be dreaming or dying I thought. Bruce was sitting in the chair, he turned to look at me. Zara walked over to the control pad. She placed her hand on it, it scanned her eyes and then she had to type in a code. _Talk about over protective._ She walked into my cell – I'm obviously dreaming – she looked at me, right at me.

"Loki, come with us," she said.

Us, she must mean Bruce. She grabbed my hands. I say grab, more like telekinetically moves them towards her. She put handcuffs around my hands and a muzzle around my mouth. This time a metal one, not her scarf. She prodded me slightly, egging me on to walk forwards. For a second I refuse but then Bruce stood up, taking his glasses of. I gulped slightly, still remembering my last encounter with the beast. I walked out of the room with my cell was in, guided me Bruce and Zara I ended up in what seemed like an infirmary. Zara pushed me onto the medical bed, her touch making my cold skin warm. I was glad I was the only one who could hear my heart beating out of my chest. She murmured something to Bruce and leaves shortly after.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I walked out of the hospital and sit in the waiting area next to Clint. He smiles slightly, I try and return it but my mind was else were.

"Is it the…" he said.

I interrupted "Yes it is."

He didn't even need to finish his sentence. I knew what he was gonna say. He meant to ask if I was still worried about a bigger threat than Loki. _Of course I was! Bigger threat than Loki_! I didn't sleep, I sat up all night, thinking of every possible scenario, and most ending with the oncoming Armageddon. It was slightly funny, every possible reason for the world ending and this wasn't one of them. Not the ice caps melting, global warming or deforestation or anything like that not even the zombie apocalypse. _Just more evil than evil itself, it's cool. Chill people._

If I could change my fate, my destiny, I would really love to do that right now. I walked back into the infirmary, I leaned on the wall casually. Loki was standing while Natasha was scanning him. Trying to find evidence of the tracker inside him. It made an ear piercing screech. I guess that means she found something. She left the room promptly afterwards. I sat in the wooden chair. The cool metal legs touching my own. Loki sat on the bed still in his handcuffs and muzzle. He looked down at the floor. He made no eye contact with me. Maybe he was just as scared as me.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I knew I was in a whole heap of trouble when the redhead was scanning me. Scanning me whole body, front and back. When she scanned my stomach it made that assaulting noise. She found what she was looking for, whatever it was. I sat on the bed, waiting for whatever was happening next. In burst more people I despise the Captain, the Man of Iron, Barton and the beast. The captain undid my hand cuffs and muzzle before pushing me down on the bed. He strapped me into the bed, I struggled against his power, I kicked him in the face, and he punched mine, shortly after, strapping my legs down as well. Zara stood in the corner, she gazed in my direction, but never met my eye line. The other men held me down, even though the captain had secured me. The blonde haired super solider walked towards me, I noticed under his eye there was a lump forming, ha. My face stung slightly, for an oaf, he punches hard.

He pulled my leather and green armour off, leaving me only in my undershirt. _Wake up! This is a nightmare! Please let this be a nightmare._ I screamed, pulling my arms out of the straps and blasting him back. I possess that still super solider. He slammed against the wall, making a huge thud. The other men tried to contain me, but I just blasted them as well. Bruce ran from the room, clearly not wanting to hurt his friends. Zara looked up, her eyes disappointed. As if she expected better. Better? Ha, I am the god of lies, girl, I do not play nice. I tried to get up to run, but she walked forward, pushing me down with her telekinesis. The strongest I had ever encountered. In was almost like have Mjölnir upon your chest, an unbeatable force, not to be overpowered. I found the strength to push up, she pushed me back. Harder, more power. Her face changed, to a harder, stiffer face. She was clearly using a lot of effort. I began pushing her backwards. Her eyes seemed to cry out to me. Begging for mercy. I could hear her thoughts cry. _I can't hold it. I can't hold it. I can't stop him._

"Please, Loki, please. Stop, please. If you push back, if you repel my power. It will be flung back at me. I'm using too much strength. It will kill me. Please, please," she begged.

A tear fell from her eye. I could feel her desire to live. Her fear of death. She put her whole life in my hands. I held everything she had. I could ask her to beg, grovel. Kneel before me. I could own her. I didn't want that though. I moved slowly back down to the bed. Settling down, allowing her to relax. She let go of me, another tear fell from her eye. She smiled weakly. Steve stood up, ready to eliminate me, Zara pushed him back. Barton strapped me back into the bed. He punched me in the face, I just laughed. He sat in the wooden chair.

"Take your shirt off," Zara said.

I grinned. I could see the solider tensing, his figure more rigid as was his stance.

"Oh, w_hy_?" I purred flirtatiously.

I swore I heard the captain hiss.

"Eww, no. You need an operation," she said.

"What?" I asked, my voice seemed wobbly as I spoke.

She sat down beside me on the bed.

"Loki, you need an operation, because… Because there is a tracker in you. With a… a kill switch," she stuttered, she gulped slightly.

"Kill switch," I repeated breathlessly.

_ A kill switch? I knew Odin hated me but him wanting to kill me, not even honourably._

"If, if the kill switch goes off, how long will I live?" I asked.

Zara looked like she was going to cry. I don't know why she cared so much.

"You'll die. Die horribly and painfully. A long death. It, it kills you inside then out. It blackens your heart and stops it beating. Your brain is numbed and you are unable to move. If you cry tears, these tears will be blood. I'm so sorry Loki," she took my hand.

"But I deserve to die," I said.

"No, not like that. No one should die like that," she said.

"If I have this, if you take it out of me, what happens?" I ask.

"If it goes right, you'll be fine. If not…" she stopped.

I looked at her, she was so kind. For some reason she seemed to care about everyone and everything. I was surprised the world hadn't corrupted her yet. It corrupted all the good in me a long time ago.

"If it goes wrong. You'll die. It's entwined into your veins," as she explained what this tracker was like she entwined her fingers into mine to represent what she meant.

The captain hated me, he clearly was in love with her. But she was holding my hand, not his.

"So either way I die," I say bluntly.

I'd rather not lie to myself. If I were to die, I would not fabricate a lie to hide what is upon me. I was always going to die, this time I couldn't escape. I highly doubted these mortals could save me. Bruce walked back into the room. Zara stood up.

"This isn't gonna be easy," Bruce mumbled.

He injected some strange serum into my arm. It seemed to numb all feeling in myself. It made me very drowsy. I couldn't sleep though, I stayed awake. Bruce cut through my green undershirt. He began to cut through my skin. I whimpered slightly.

"He can feel it Bruce!" Zara cried.

"Didn't you give the General anaesthetic?" she asked.

"I did but I didn't knock him out," Bruce said.

Clearly it didn't work. I wondered if this meant I would feel everything. Bruce quickly found he was looking for. He tried pulling it. I screamed. He was pulling on my insides.

"Stop!" Zara begged.

Bruce picked up some surgical scissors. I closed my eyes, I no longer wished to see what he was doing. I knew I would feel everything though. He began plucking at something. _Contain the screams. Don't show weakness, be brave. Stay strong._ Bruce began cutting through my veins. I screamed, it was a pain I never knew for some time. I yelled. Strong arms held me down, I let the tears trickle from my eyes. I felt everything in my body being set alight. It felt as if something was crawling through me.

"Bruce!" Zara screamed.

"Bruce what did you do?" the man of iron yelled.

"You set off the kill switch!" he yelled.

All of a sudden I was gasping for air. My lungs seemed to collapse in on me. I could breath.

"Somebody get him some oxygen!" Zara shrieked.

A plastic mask was attached to my mouth. There was a flood of oxygen into my lungs. A literal breath of fresh air. I exhaled deeply. The darkness seemed to crawl through me. It stung like no other pain I'd ever known. Worse than the pain then what Thanos and his minions put me through. I tried to scream but a gust of oxygen filled my lungs, disabling my cry. I wanted to die. _Let me die, let me die. Please let me die._

"Let me die," I rasped.

"Please," I begged.

_ End my pain, let me die. Let me die._ Tears stained my face, I cried and cried. Somebody took my hand. It was a soft touch.

"Loki, Loki it's me Zara. I'm here. We're all here. You understand. We're not letting you go. We'll save you. I'm here," she whispered tenderly.

She began caressing my hair. "Its fine, its fine" she told me.

I wanted to believe her sweet words. I could all I could believe was my agony, my torture. Bruce was pulling on something. I gave in, I was to die. I closed my eyes. She kissed the top of my head. The last thing I heard was Zara. I was glad I was to die, with her holding my hand. Even if she never knew of my real feelings. At least I could die happy. I was a burden, I deserved to die.

"Please Loki, stay with us. Stay awake."

Then the darkness drowned me, submerged into death.


	8. Chapter VII

**A/N: Welcome to chapter seven. I know it's been quite awhile since I updated. Sorry about that, my exam got in the way but it's over now. Hope I passed. Fingers crossed. Thanks again to Sapphire Roz. She's amazing, go check out her stuff. I really hope you this this chapter. Warning: Blood and fighting. Sorry if the fight scene isn't the action blockbuster thing but that will come later. Everyone's favourite super soldier gets some limelight, Whoop Steve's POV! Maybe you lot have noticed the slight love triangle going on. Can you guess? I hope you like this. My longest one yet!**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter VII

I stirred slightly, I opened my eyes. After a few seconds my eyes adjusted to the light. The walls were a bright yellow, almost a blinding shade. I was connected to many contraptions. I had a wire from my arm and other such things on my body. Zara sat next to my bed. I was alive!

"Hey," she said softly.

I went to sit up but my stomach seemed to lurch as I went to. I groaned.

"Yeah, it's gonna hurt. We had to cut open your stomach. I say we, more like Bruce. I didn't really do much," she said.

I smiled slightly. Resting my head on the soft pillow. It had been awhile since I was comfortable.

"I thought you were dead, you were out for three weeks. Your heart stopped and everything. You gave me a heart attack. I guess you just got lucky," she said.

_ Three weeks? My heart stopped?_

"Then how am I alive?" I asked.

She shrugged "Maybe you had something to hold on for," she guessed. _Something, more like someone._

Tony walked in, surprised to see me awake… And alive.

"So you finally woke up Sleeping Beauty, did you get your kiss?" he asked.

"Kiss?" I questioned.

"Shut up Tony," Zara said.

He dragged a chair over.

"You scared Zara, seriously," he said.

She rolled her eyes and gave him a look.

"Okay, maybe you scared me a little too. You started crying those blood tears, not just from your eyes but your mouth too. I'd never seen anything like it. You were pale. Not your usual pale though. Bruce tried everything. After a week I… We thought we lost you. We tried to contact Thor. We thought he would want you to have a proper Asgardian funeral. Zara stood in a field for hours yelling at the sky. It's now trending on YouTube. You put up a fight though. You didn't die easily. Clearly you didn't. Welcome back reindeer games," Tony said before leaving.

Zara looked over at me, I noticed she was still holding my hand.

"Thank you," I said.

"For what?" she asked me. "For not giving up on me. You're what…" I was about to tell her how I felt but the captain walked in.

She stood up, she smiled at him.

"You're alive?" he asked.

I shrugged. My eyelids were heavy. "Let's go Steve, let him rest," she suggested.

They walked out of the room. I closed my eyes, trying to sleep.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I stood outside the infirmary next to Steve.

"How is he alive?" he asked me.

"I don't know… Really," I said.

He sighed "You're a miracle worker you know that," Steve said.

I laughed "Bruce did everything. I just did a lot of screaming."

"You healed his wound with your telekinesis, after all of us gave up on him. You're perfect y'know. Never change," he said.

I blushed again. I knew I shouldn't fall in love with him. I knew it was wrong but he was just so damn charming, it was hard not to fall for him.

"Mr Rogers and Miss Haley you have a visitor in the lounge," Jarvis said.

It was strange a computer was talking to me. It was strange, but strange was probably Tony's middle name. I followed Steve down to the lounge. A man was waiting there, I had no idea who he was though.

"Sam!" Steve said.

I guessed this was Sam Wilson, Flacon.

"Steve!" they did a kind of man, bro hug thingy.

I didn't really understand it. Just hug like normal people. After that awkward hug, I decided it was time to introduce myself.

"Zara, hey" I said.

"Hi, I'm Sam," he said.

He smiled, it was a nice smile.

"So what's your power," he asked.

"Do I have to have a power to live here? I could just be a lowly tenant," I joked.

I placed my hands out, visualising what I wanted to come to me. Within seconds I held the helmet of iron man. "That's my party trick!" I laughed.

"That's cool, seriously I need to learn to do that," Sam said.

Sam, Steve and I spent the whole morning joking around. Tony was annoyed that I was using my telekinesis against him. I told him no one was safe from my tricks. I got a text from Bradley while I was hanging out with Steve and Sam. It said: **Baby it's been longer than a month. When r u coming home?** I completely forgot how long I'd been away for so long. I had to see Bradley, maybe if I did and reconfirmed our love then I wouldn't be bothered by Steve and his attractiveness. My phone bleeped, it must be Bradley. I opened the text. It said something I was surprised by: **Bella, you sexy angel. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. It's like you fell from the sky and into my bed. How about tomorrow, me, you, my bed? Brad xx**

A single tear fell from my eyes.

"Zara?" Steve said.

I just got up and ran out of the room. I sat on my bed and let the tears from my eyes. Why? Did I deserve that? I sent him a single worded text: **Arsehole.** I turned my phone off, not wanting to see his pathetic excuses. He go die for all I cared. Steve walked in with Sam hot on his heels.

"Zara?" he said.

I broke down and started blubbering like a child. He brought me into a warm and kind hug.

He stroked my hair and whispered to me "You're too good for him anyway."

Sam read the text and laughed "Classic moron, trust me he'll regret it forever."

I smiled, I may have lost a boyfriend but friends would always be there. I knew, right now in Steve's hug, I was better off without him. Sam was right, he was a moron.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I lay, for hours on the bed. Every second I was monitored by Bruce or someone else. I felt like a worthless invalid, incapable of protecting myself. At this moment in time, I was, but I did not want to feel like one. Zara had left my side and the cold hearted Russian watched over me. She was the only one did not welcome me back in anyway. Even Barton said something. She looked at me with her cold stare, she clearly wanted me dead. I didn't blame her. If I was in her shoes, I would feel the same. Nothing I did now or ever would change her mind. Even if I died saving her she would still hate me, for what I did to her precious hawk. Sentiment.

She left shortly afterwards and Zara was back again to watch me. I wished it was in my cell. At least before I could do things. I was too weak to argue or insult her. Not even strong enough to laugh. I tried but my ribs were black and blue. I couldn't feel anything but pain. Zara tried to comfort me by playing some music. The song's title was happy. I wasn't very happy, I couldn't relate to it at all.

_Because I'm happy,_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do_

By the second verse I already hated the song. Clearly this man needs a dose of actuality because happiness never lasts.

"Please turn that intolerable racket off," I moaned.

She laughed and turned it off. Her laugh wasn't as warm or as full as before. It was empty, and hurt. Her eyes were cold and stained with tears. I could hear her thoughts. They were quiet cries. _How could he? Why would he?_ I wondered who he was.

"Who hurt you?" I asked.

She looked at me.

"No one. Unless you want the list of everyone ever, but today no one," she lied right though her teeth.

"Don't bother lying to me. I can see right through it," I warned.

"Cause you can read my thoughts?" she asked.

"Yes and I'm the god of lies. You can't fool me," I said.

She sighed, and looked down to her feet.

"Ok fine. My boyfriend Bradley cheated on me. He had sex with another woman. He accidently sent me a text that was meant to go to his lover," she said.

The last words were full with hatred.

"You're lucky. Its better you find out sooner than later," I said.

She chuckled "You pretty much one of the only good men still in my life. The others are either dead or good for nothings," she said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Clearly you don't know enough people," I joked.

For the rest of the time she watched over me we teased and mocked each other. I loved her impression of me.

She put on a very posh voice and said "Hello dears, it's Loki here. If you don't mind could you kneel please?" I laughed despite the excruciating pain in my ribs.

Obviously I don't sound like that but when she tried to impersonate my face and voice at the same time, it was just too funny. It was almost like we were friends, but then I remember who I was. I would never have real friends. She left at three as she always did. But this time she left her phone. Well, that's what she called it. It began to play a tune. An annoying and repetitive one. I picked it up. It said Bradley. I pressed answer.

"Baby, I'm sorry. It was just a joke please you gotta understand." He begged down the phone.

I hated him already.

"If I were you I would never bother her again. You hurt her and I will find you. Now go back to your pit and die in it," I threatened.

"Who? Who is this?" he asked.

"I am Loki of Jotunheim. Your days are numbered mortal," I knew he was vulnerable, that's why I wanted to scare him.

I hung up.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I had searched everywhere for it. The lab, workshop, lounge, library, pool. Everywhere. Everyone's room and mine about a hundred times. I couldn't find my phone anywhere. I was taking apart the sofa when Steve came over to me. I found a set of car keys, an old newspaper and 50 dollars, which I was going to keep.

"What are you doing?" he asked me.

I looked up at him.

"My phone," I said.

"Have you seen it?" I asked.

"Nope, I'll keep an eye out though," he said.

I flopped onto the sofa. _Where could it be?_ There was one place I hadn't looked, the infirmary. I ran in, while Tony was eating a bowl of chips. My phone was on the table. I picked it up and kissed it.

"That mortal called," Loki said.

I knew he meant Bradley, people he hated he called them mortals. He used to call me that, but he was used to me now.

"Oh," I gulped.

"I answered on your behalf, let's say, he'll never bother you again," he smiled an evil grin.

I smiled, I know I shouldn't find pleasure in Loki's evil doings but Bradley deserved it.

I looked over to Tony and said "It's too early for chips."

His reply was flippant "It's never too early for chips." I rolled my eyes and left the room.

I didn't return until eleven, I spent most of the time deleting everything from my phone and laptop with had Bradley in it. This obviously took a lot of time. I wished I was smarter and seen through his lies. Loki was sitting upright when I entered the infirmary. I guessed that meant he was healing. He leant against the wall, his back was unnaturally hunched, and his posture was normally very good. I sat, cross legged, at the bottom of his bed.

"Hey," I said softly.

He looked up at me, his emerald eyes tired. He attempted to smile. He wore a green short sleeved t-shirt, not his though. Bruce had cut through his undershirt and he could not wear his own clothes as he was still under observation. I think it was Steve's t-shirt. It was slightly baggy on him, it was better that way though. Steve wasn't overly found of the idea. His arms were of the palest shade. His veins were very dark, he was recovering but slowly.

"Who put the tracker in you?" I asked.

He pretended not to hear me.

"Who put the tracker in you?" I asked again.

"Why do you care?" he snapped.

"I want to help," I said.

"Do you?" he asked sarcastically.

"If I didn't I would of let you die. But here you are, aren't you," I retorted.

He laughed "Yes because you single handily saved me."

"No, but if I hadn't taken your blood we would over never known. I healed you, so show some gratitude. I don't get you, one second you're civil, the next you're a right arse," I said.

He rolled his eyes. I hated it when he did that.

"Tell me," I said.

"Never," he yelled.

"Tell me!" I screamed.

He was taken back my by sudden outburst of anger. I breathed out deeply.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

"Thanos," I whispered.

I had to tell someone, Zara seemed like the only person I could tell. Yes she was a mortal, and yes she would tell all the Avengers, but for some reason I trusted her. I didn't know why, maybe it was her kind nature, her trustworthy air about her or her beautiful eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"Thanos," I repeated.

She nodded.

"Who is Thanos?" she asked.

A monster, a brute, a murderer. That was on a good day.

"The reason your Midgard was invaded. He is a murderer. He blew up his home planet and laughed. He murdered children, he murdered his family. He killed people he knew and ones he did not. He took me in. He _saved_ me. He hurt me, in ways I cannot describe. He poured boiling oil down my throat and punched me until I lost all feeling. He stabbed me and left me to bleed to death. The Other, his minion and his Chitauri beat me too but nothing compared to the pain I went through. I was to invade your planet and bring him the Tesseract and Thor's heart. I failed him. The other told me if you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find me. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain," I explained.

I told her something no one knew, not Odin, Thor not even Frigga. I opened up to a girl I didn't know. I wish I knew her better. I looked over to her, her expression was a mixture of shock and pity. She pulled me into a hug. Her embrace was unexpected but well taken. I wasn't sure if I were to hug her back or not. I hadn't been hugged for a long time.

She pulled away too quickly. "I'm so sorry Loki, that's just…"

She noticed her arms still around me and she took them back suddenly, I would have gladly let her held me for as long as she wishes.

"Oops, sorry. I'm a hugger," she laughed.

I tried to maintain a hard and harsh face with her. I tried to show her hatred and push her away. I wanted to scare her, make her fear me. I can't let her get close to me. I can't let her become something of importance to me. If I do, if I let her in, I'll lose her. I'll hurt her. I'm the reason my mother… Frigga died. I could not do the same to Zara, however powerful she was, she wasn't not immortal. No one was, immortal was a term for those who had nothing to live for but carries on living. I was no longer immortal.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

"Thanos!" I yelled when I walked into the meeting.

The Avengers looked up at me like I was mental. I was, but not right now.

"What?" Natasha asked.

It was the first time she spoke out loud to me. If I ever did converse with her in was in whispers.

"Thanos, d'uh," I said again.

Really hoping they knew who I was talking about.

"Still confused," she pointed out.

"Oh… Thanos is the person who put the tracker in Loki. Get up everything you have on Loki, now!" I demanded.

"Since when did I take orders from you?" Natasha asked, questioning my authority in the situation.

"Since I was the only one who could find out who put the tracker in Loki. Raise your hand if you got Loki talking?" I said, my come back annoying her, raising my hand.

I knew I would be the only one to raise my hand.

"Oh… Oh just me? So I think Black widow, you might learn something from what I'm saying," I said sharply.

"Burn!" Tony laughed.

He brought up everything on Thanos. The computer desktop came up around us. I began flicking through everything. Myths, legends, stories. Lies, lies, lies!

"How 'bout this?" Tony swiped an article over.

It said:

_Thanos was born on Saturn's moon Titan, and is the child of Eternals Mentor and Sui-San. Thanos was carrying the Deviants gene, and as such shared the physical appearance of the Eternals' cousin race. At birth, his mother attempted to kill him. During his school years, Thanos was a pacifist. Thanos had become fascinated with nihilism and death, worshiping and eventually falling in love with the physical embodiment of death, Mistress Death. He is visited again by Mistress Death, for whom he murders his family. He possesses many powers and skills. He has superhuman strength, stamina, durability, prolonged existence, and intelligence. He also has energy manipulation, telekinesis, and teleportation._

I swore under my breath.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Well it looks like, Thanos is worse than Loki," I gulped.

Steve met my gaze. I felt like breaking down. A psychopath, murderer. An alien with unbelievable power. My stomach lurched and felt sick. I wanted to cry.

"We need Loki back in that cell," Clint said. "For his own safety."

I sat on the sofa, my head on Steve's lap. I may or may not have a massive freak out in the meeting. Natasha might had have punch me to calm me down. I breathed in deeply and sighed. I finally burst, it was gonna happen. Everyone knew that, I was way too on edge to handle anything like this, but for some reason Tony insisted on me staying. An ear wrecking alarm went off. Making my ears bleed, well almost. I jumped up and looked for the cause of panic. In a split second. In what seemed like nothing, everything happened. A group of masked men smashed through the window. Hawkeye shot two of them through the heart killing them within seconds. Black widow shot some of them, Tony suited up and Steve kicked arse, literally. I threw objects, anything and everything at them. But they kept coming. One grabbed me and had me against the wall. A gun to brain.

"Hello beautiful. Shame I have to kill you," he almost pulled the trigger but my reactions were faster I pushed him away, he hit a wall on the other side of the room.

His head was bleeding. I pushed him out of the window, watching his lifeless body falling in oblivion. One of the masked assassins threw a knife at me. It hit its target, my arm. I pulled it out, groaning while doing so. The gash in my arm was quite deep. I took the blood stained knife and threw it at the assassin, penetrating his flesh and his heart. He fell dead to the floor.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I heard the combat happening in the lounge. Thanos' men. I was sure of it. They knew too much, they were a threat. Knowledge was a burden. Everyone wants it but once you have it you wish you didn't. Thanos was not complex. No layers, he was simple. He loved to kill. He was malicious and he slaughtered for fun. He decimated his home and massacred his people. He wouldn't spare humans. I couldn't help. Even if I wanted to I was locked away in an empty prison cell. _Foolish_ I thought. It would have been easier and less painful if they just gave themselves up. _Give themselves up?! They may be mortals but you cannot question their bravery. Their valour and spirit were admirable but wasted._ I heard Zara's screams. I banged on the glass and screamed. My thumps on the glass were repetitive but useless. This is your fault. Why would you tell her? Why would you put her at risk? Thanos will kill them and then come for me. I was fatuous and moronic. In simple terms, stupid. Take me, spare her.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I screamed, buckling to my knees. I'd never fought a battle, a war. Nothing. Not even really a fight in the playground at school. Everyone was normally terrified of my powers. Sadly, these lot weren't. Everything was a blur. A fragment of confusion and pain. Closing my eyes, not wanting to see. Not wanting to feel. I felt strong arms pick me up, I dared not to open my eyes. Sight was too distressing.

* * *

(Steve's POV)

Steve picked up Zara and carried her to the hospital wing. She took one too many blows. Her face was bruised and her arm was bleeding. He hated to see her like this. She was too perfect, too important to him. She couldn't be hurt. He placed her down gently on the bed. Her head lolled to the side. She was hurt, that was clear, but never the less she looked peaceful. Clint pushed one of the masked assassins into the room. He pulled the black mask off him to reveal his face. His skin was a greyish colour. His eyes only black. No pupils, iris nothing but black. His faced scarred and beaten. He was not off Earth, Steve knew that. His veins black as well, they defined his face. His hands were strange. The same colour as his face. His fingers were long and thin. His nails were claws. A monster.

"Who are you?" Clint pushed it up against the wall.

Holding him down, pushing him.

"Who sent you!" he screamed.

"I won't tell him master. I swear. I'll never…" he was cut of mid-sentence.

Something went off in his eye. He died, somebody, something killed him. Whatever this was, whoever was after them, was certain not to make themselves known. How can you fight an enemy you don't know?


	9. Chapter VIII

**A/N: Hello! Here's chapter eight! I'd like to thank ****madiwadipandalover for following and favouriting this story. And the exceptional Sapphire Roz for her continual support of this story. I hope you like this chapter! **

**Warning: This chapter contains blood and self harm**

* * *

Chapter VIII

(Zara's POV)

The attacks happened every day for weeks on end. In the tower, out in New York. Everywhere. We couldn't get away from the unnamed villain. I'd was beaten, bruised and sick to death of being an avenger. It didn't help we still had to watch Loki. So if we weren't fighting for our lives we were watching over a demi god. I didn't really mind Loki. If you got past the horrid, sarcastic, cruel, arrogant, self-loved exterior he was ok. Actually he was quite funny. I wished he wasn't Loki then maybe we could be really great friends. If only the world was fair, if only everything made sense. Then enemies would be evil and hateable and friends wouldn't stab you in the back. And one of the coolest guys you ever met wouldn't be the man you should hate.

* * *

(Maria Hill's POV)

SHIELD kept secrets for a reason. To protect the innocent and keep valuable information out of the wrong hands. When HYDRA destroyed SHIELD Maria swore not only to Nick but herself too to keep those secrets under lock and key. She was trained to the highest standard but there was something SHIELD couldn't teach you, how to block out people you care about.

When Maria met Zara Haley, she was a broken girl, grieving the loss of her father. She was only sixteen. Living in Newquay, far away from her family in Greenwich. 374.65 km away from them. It showed a stubborn sort of independence. Something she hadn't seen in such a young girl before. Something she didn't see at all. Maria had found about her through many records of a girl with powers. Telekinesis to be precise. People were scared of her. She was on SHIELD's threat lists. Everyone was frightened of her. Maria couldn't even begin to understand the horrors she went through. Not living at home, have powers she couldn't control and everyone being afraid of her. Being abnormal, being a freak. She told her she moved away to protect her family. But everything she went through, all the pain and hate. Was her fault. SHIELD's fault, not that she would ever tell her why.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I knew, from the very beginning I was different. I looked different, I acted strangely and I had powers that no one else did. I was adopted, I always knew that. My parents died, apparently. I was adopted by Mr and Mrs Haley and I lived happily ever after. Yeah, right. I moved in with them, for a bit it was kinda nice. Family, house, love that sort of stuff. I got on well with their kid Harry.

They didn't know about my condition. It was multiplied by anger and fear. I was bullied at school, for being adopted. I held in all the hurt and one day I couldn't take it anymore. I ended up lashing out, accidently. The bullies and I all ended up in A&amp;E. My mother scolded me. My father was different though, he told me I was special and gifted. I wasn't a freak, I was amazing. Ever after everyone was scared of me, I was a monster. A creep. Someone wrote a letter to the head teacher wanting me to be moved to a mental hospital. I hated school and home wasn't much better. I locked myself away not wanting to hurt the people I loved most. The day my dad died of cancer was the worse day of my life, it wasn't right. He was a good, kind honest man. Loving and funny. He died when I was so young and other people had their parents, grandparents, great grandparents. Everyone. I just lost the only man who made me feel loved. I hated them, I envied them. Of course I had my mum but no one could take his place. I still missed him, but I know however much I miss him. However much I think about him, nothing will bring him back.

I had to get away from the craziness of Stark Tower. It was awful. Everyone was getting on everyone's nerves. Tony and Clint had yelling matches every single evening. I can't even remember what started of this stupid arguments. I couldn't sleep, partly because of the arguing, partly because of the nightmares I couldn't escape. I always kept them at bay before but now they were a force I couldn't beat. Sometimes I heard smashing, lots of smashing actually. Maria came over just to check we were all still alive. Then after debriefing or whatever the hell she was doing she left, without even a word. Not that I cared. She was just a SHIELD agent that invaded my life, no big deal.

I wasn't the only one driven to the verge of insanity. If Steve wasn't a nice guy I think both Tony and Clint would be dead. Bruce locked himself in the lab, he couldn't bear to listen or watch the stupid fights. Natasha ignored them, somehow. I really needed to ask her how she did it. I honestly thought about stuffing cheese in my ears.

I walked down the streets of Manhattan. Definitely nothing like Newquay. Newquay was a town in Cornwall, a small town near the sea. Quaint but full of character. Manhattan was a whole different ball game. Something I'd never experienced before. I'd lived in Greenwich but nothing in England compared to this. I wasn't saying it was better, I was patriotic for sure, but this was amazing. I spent to long admiring the big apple and some moron walked into me. _Idiot_ I thought. Sam chuckled at my annoyance.

He came back after the first attack from the unknown assassins and ended up fighting alongside us. We both took the first opportunity to get out of the living hell, which was Stark Tower. Steve didn't manage to escape, Tony dragged him into the argument. Literally dragged him over. Asking him to decide who was right, him or Clint. Steve was caught in the middle of an Avenger fight. That was not a good thing. Clint had his arrows right next to him. And Tony had the Iron Man stuff and he owned Stark Tower, theatrically speaking, he could throw Clint out if he wanted. He could throw any one of us out, I better be extra nice to him for a while.

"I used to live a normal life Sam," I said.

Normality was a life time away. Nothing was normal anymore, it was never to be the same again, and I'm not sure where I stand on that one.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

The survived. Miraculously they survived, every single time. They had many a scar and many tales to tell but they just carried on living. I thought I would hate it. Hate them surviving, hate them winning. I didn't though. I held my breath at the time of every attack, praying for their safe return. I waited, for the time they could not defeat Thanos' men but so far this day did not come. Fighters survive. Zara was safe and as long as it was so I had something to live for.

* * *

(Thor's POV)

His paces quickened with step. His anxiety building, he knew whatever happened now would change everything.

"How is she? How is Jane?" Thor asked Heimdall, the gatekeeper.

His sight stretched through all of the nine realms and beyond.

"She is fine but this is not what troubles you my prince," he said.

It was true, he troubles lied elsewhere.

"How… How is Loki? Does…" he stopped in his tracks, just the thought of his brother dying, made a lump in his throat.

"He lives," Heimdall informed him.

Thor sighed a sigh of last thing Heimdall told him was Loki died. His friends the Avengers tried to remove a kill switch. It was set off and it killed him. "How?" Thor asked breathlessly. Loki was evil, despicable and beyond aggravating but Loki was his brother and nothing he ever did, whatever he said, nothing who change the fact that he loves him. However much Loki claimed to hate him, somehow Thor knew secretly Loki cared about him. As did he.

"A telekinetic mortal named Zara Haley managed to manipulate his cells and healed his wound, you are in debt to her as is Loki," Heimdall said.

Thor must thank this girl, even if it was never to be in person.

"Your friends, The Avengers, as they call themselves have been attacked," Heimdall turned to look at him.

His eyes saw so many things. Lives beginning and ending. War, hate and horror. Never being able to turn away, never being able to close your eyes. What kind of a life was that? "By who? Has war been waged upon them?" he asked.

"It seems so my lord," he said.

"Then you must let me pass, I will fight alongside them," he said.

If a war was upon them he would fight alongside them, they would do the same for him.

"You forget my lord, the promise you made to your father, if you venture to Midgard your mortal will pay the price," Heimdall reminded him.

Either he let his friends die or he let Jane die. How could he chose?

(Zara's POV)

I walked into the meeting room Maria was whispering to a man with dark skin and wearing sunglasses, indoors. Not even Tony did that. He briskly left, brushing past me on the way out.

"Who's that?" I asked her.

"How are you Zara? No more attacks?" she asked, dodging my question.

"No, it would be all over the news if there was," I hissed.

Sick of her lies and her way of never telling me what I needed to know. I wish she hadn't invaded my life, then I wouldn't have a whole bunch of lies stuffed down my throat all the time. I hated how everything I wanted to know was _classified_.

"Who was that?" I asked again.

She sighed and attempted to walk past me but I stood in front of her.

"Don't" I said.

She crossed her arms at looked at me.

"I don't have to tell you anything," she said.

I glared at her but she returned my cold stare. She pushed past me, leaving me alone. I sat down in the chair placing my head in my hands.

When Clint entered the room I was using a tablet. Trying desperately to hack into the SHIELD files.

"What you doing?" he asked.

He dragged a chair over and sat next to me.

"Hacking into SHIELD? Ha that never ends well," he commented.

I glared at him for a second before looking back to my work. Yet again it blocked me out of it. I swore under my breath.

"Stupid SHIELD," I cursed.

Clint looked at me like I was crazy.

"You're an agent, you can get me in," I said.

I passed him the tablet eagerly but he passed it back to me.

"No way Zara!" he said.

I sighed hugging my knees to my body.

"What do you even wanna see?" he asked.

What didn't I want to see? All the lies blinded by the truth. I wanted… I needed to know who I was. Where I came from. Why I was so different and why I couldn't have a normal life.

"My file," I admitted.

He looked at me sympathetically. He took the tablet out of hands and typed his password in but it locked him out.

"It's for level ten eyes only. I'm level seven. Don't even bother asking Nat, we're the same level. The only person that can read it is Nick Fury and he's dead. Well that's what everyone says," he apologised, well I think it was an apology.

I nodded, looking down.

"Who am I Clint?" I whispered.

He looked at me, taking my hand in his own.

"I don't know who you were or what you used to be. But I know this. You're a great person Zara and if anyone else says otherwise I think they're gonna get an arrow in their eye," he said.

I hugged him suddenly, at first he recoiled but he eventually gave in and hugged me back.

"Thanks," I said.

(Loki's POV)

Boredom was the lone constant in my life. It was my only companion but it did not keep me sane. At least when I was dying there was a rush of something other than this continuous monotony.

Zara walked into the room relieving the spy of her watch over me. She took a seat and didn't turn to look at me which she normally did. She just sat in the chair, her posture slouched and her usual happy attitude was nowhere to be seen. She held something her in hands, looking down at it. She made no attempt to even look at me. After an age of silence I decided to strike up a conversation.

"Zara?" I asked, hoping for a reply.

She looked at me for a second her eyes clouded by tears.

"Loki," she replied, I wish she wouldn't say my name so, it sent shivers down my spine.

"What... Are you well?" I asked.

She smiled weakly.

"Can I ask you a favour?" she said, which surprised me.

No one ever wanted my help, I would just ruin everything as I always do.

"Yes," I answered.

She opened up the small hatch and passed a small contraption. On the back it said Stark Industries.

"Can you get me into the SHIELD files?" she asked.

She was asking me to hack into the top secret, classified SHIELD files? _Finally!_ Something to do. And it was bad, which strangely made me feel good.

"What's in it for me?" I asked, even though I would do anything and everything to make her happy, I still had have that harsh exterior with everyone, even her.

"You can read your file, I've already hacked into that. You're a really bad boy aren't you?" she teased.

I laughed.

"Of course," I smiled.

"But the second you try and opened any other files, I'll know and you'll get a beating of a life time," she warned, I really don't want to know what a beating of a life time is, so I guess that means I'm going to have to play nice.

"What do you even want me to get you into?" I asked.

"My file," she said.

I really wanted to help her but finding out the truth never leads to anything good. If I could I would go back and make sure I didn't know. I would rather live in a world of lies than a life of truth and regret.

"Are you sure?" I asked sheepishly.

I knew, of course I did. How couldn't. I read everyone's mind, I knew all the secrets, lies, feelings. I could block them out, sometimes. But the screams of thoughts weren't always so easy to ignore.

"Well if you don't think you can, I could always ask someone else," she said, taking the tablet back.

She sighed sadly, I knew exactly what she was doing. Trying to guilt trip me, making me feel bad. Well it wasn't going to work. Not on me. My heart is a heart of stone. My mind is not swayed or dictated by the action of a mortal girl. Her figure was hunched and she made sniffling noises. _Ignore her Loki, this is exactly what she wants. Stay, in control._ She looked over at me, her eyes glistening with tears. _Don't give in Loki, stay strong._

"Fine!" I exclaimed, finally breaking the silence.

I threw my arms up in the air as a sign of exasperation.

"Yay!" she said, as if she expected me to give in.

She pushed the tablet back through the hatch and beamed.

That night I dreamt dreams that were not my own, dreams of such horror. Dreams I couldn't escape.

_There was broken and smashed objects everywhere. Glasses, plates, mugs. Anything and everything. In the corner of my eye I saw a young girl, no older than sixteen smashing these objects. Tearing falling from her eyes like a flood. Another woman stood in the room screaming at the girl. I turned to face them. _

_"Zara! Stop!" the woman screamed._

_ It was Zara? She looked so different, she was never large but her figure was so thin and fragile. Her skin so pale, almost a greyish colour. Her eyes full of unstoppable tears and her faced blotched. _

_"Please, please, please. Stop! Zara stop! Stop hurting those around you!" the woman pleaded. _

_She was bedraggled and tired. Her face older than her actual age. _

_"Stop hurting those around me?" Zara asked._

_ She picked up a shard of glass in her frail hand. She began to cut herself. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I tried to grab the glass out her hands but I couldn't, this was a memory. Not just a dream and memory. The first cut was bleeding, I couldn't watch. I couldn't bear to see. _

_"That! Is for my parents who left me," she yelled._

_ Her mother sobbing in the background. _

_"That!" she said while cutting herself a second time "Is for being in a care home." _

_She carried on cutting herself while declaring who each cut was for. _

_"That is for being bullied," she cried._

_ "That is for having powers that no one understands!" she shrieked._

_ Her mother buckling to her knees, crying, rocking back and forth while whispering "Stop." _

_She took the glass from her right hand and placed it in her left hand. _

_"And this," she said while dragging the shard down the whole of her arm "Is for dad," she whispered._

_ The blood trickled down her arm and onto the floor. A boy ran in and dragged Zara's mother out of the room and dialled 999 into the telephone. Zara dropped the glass and fell to the floor weeping. I knelt beside her and tried to hug her but she disappeared in my arms, leaving me, sitting on the blood stained floor, my eyes full of tears._

I awoke, my face blemished with tears. I hugged my knees to my body, feeling all her pain and sorrow.

"Oh Zara," I whispered.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I tossed and turned in my sleep. My dream ridden sleep. My nightmares and my fears.

_The water was heavy. Always so heavy. Pulling me down. Sinking, drowning, and dying. I gasped. Gasping for air. I tried to swim to shore. But my legs were tired, weak and heavy. Always heavy. I would stay afloat. For a while. But then I became fully submerged by water. Pulling me down. Drowning…_

I sat up. Hyperventilating. So many memories. So many nightmares flooded my mind. Beads of sweat were rolling down my forehead. I got up and looked at my phone. No reception, but it told me the time: 5 am. I went to the bathroom. And washed my face with cool water. I climbed back into bed and closed my eyes, yet again submerged in a troubled sleep.

* * *

**But wait lovely people of FanFiction. There's more**

**I am sadly announcing the end of What Is Right. But do not fear, I'm already starting a new story. I need your help!**

**As I said before I'm starting a new story but I need some characters. The plot so far is about the superhumans who were taken prisoner and locked away by HYDRA. And I need more ideas for these awesome superhumans.**

**So here's the information I need to know about your OCs**

**Full name [First name, middle name, last name] (Middle name is optional)**

**Age**

**Appearance **

**Superpower**

**Personality **

**Age from which they were captured**

**Any extra information **

**Thank you guys so much. So please keep an eye out for my new story Trust**

**So either review What is Right or PM me. I can't wait to hear your ideas *****CLOSED********

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**


	10. Chapter XI

**A/N: Hello! I have returned! Sorry about the slow update, I've been really busy but to make up for that this is one of my longest chapters. I really hope you enjoy it. I would like to thank PieceOfMetal who followed this story. Thanks to Ja for reviewing the prologue. Thanks to Ellie for reviewing and I'm so glad you liked it! And of course thanks to the epic Sapphire Roz for reviewing. Thank you lovely people!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Linkin Park (You'll understand after you read it)**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter IX

(Loki's POV)

"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself."

I knew first-hand the price of secrets. The way they wormed their way into your heart. Eating away at you until you could no longer keep them in. Telling anyone, no matter how much it would hurt them. Another great thing about secrets is, if it's about you, you will always be the last one to know.

I held the tablet Zara gave me in my hands, I disabled all of the firewalls and security precautions, granting easy access to any file I wanted to view. I simply had to guess the password for the level ten file. I had already started to decrepit the password and it was more than half way there. Now it was a matter of waiting.

It was pathetic really, these mortals tried so hard to keep their secrets under lock and key. But secrets were not meant to be kept, someone always found out. It was only right, the person who had been deceived all these years, saw the truth behind the mask of lies.

The truth, was a cruel mistress. The thing most people seek throughout their lives. Human or not. But once the much needed truth come into your life, it destroys all the sense of belonging. For you finally know who you are, but you no longer belong.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I awoke from a troubled sleep, dragging myself out from under the warmth and comfort of my bed. I brushed all the knots and tangles out of my unruly hair. Yawning while doing so. I put on a pair of black skinny jeans and a blue t-shirt garnished with the red rose of England. I walked out of my room and into the lounge of Stark tower. I sat myself in between Steve and Bruce.

"Morning Zara," Steve said, he was remarkably chipper today, a grin set upon his face. I had no idea why.

"Hey," I mumbled. He looked at me, clearly not understanding why I was so deflated.

"Are you okay?" Bruce asked, for the first time looking up from his work. Pushing his glasses further up his nose.

I nodded, not wanting to explain myself. I didn't feel it necessary to burden them with my troubles. Steve shot me a quick smile before leaving briskly. I leaned back into my chair, looking blankly at the wall. My fear had been eating away at me for the past few days. I had always tried to deal with fear, but sometimes the pain was too overwhelming to deal with.

Clint walked in and plonked himself next to me, he eyed me up and frowned slightly.

"What's with the gloom fest everyone?" he asked.

I smiled weakly before leaving, I couldn't handle any more questions. I opened the door to my room and sat on the bed running my fingers through my hair, sighing.

"JARVIS?" I said nervously, unsure how to address Tony's computer system. Well, at least that's what I thought it was.

"Yes Miss Haley, how may I be of assistance?" he enquired me. He? Well, it sounded like a man.

"Can you make sure no one bothers me for the next few hours, tell them I'm busy or something," I asked.

"Of course Miss Haley, may I ask why you wish to do so?" I gritted my teeth as he requested an answer. Even computers were trying to get me to talk.

"No, no you can't," I professed my rage by yelling at a computer. Not my finest moment.

After that JARVIS didn't ask me anymore questions. I felt slightly guilty. I fell back on my bed and closed my eyes, trying to block out everything and everyone.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

11 o'clock at last. Zara sat down in the wooden chair that always stood outside of me cell. After the spider left, she turned the chair around to look at me. She grinned slightly.

"So… Did you do it?" she asked, her eyes seemed to light up with joy.

"Of course, your pathetic technology is nothing compared to the mind of a god, child," I stated, trying to keep a straight face while saying it.

We both broke out into a spontaneous fit of laughs. I passed the tablet through the hatch, and she took it and smiled.

"Thank you, Loki, it means a lot," she said, still smiling but her eyes filled with an expression I knew: hurt.

She began scanning the tablet, reading all the information SHIELD had collected about her over the years. It seemed SHIELD had eyes everywhere. They had collected data on everyone, even myself. How they did that was beyond me.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I grasped the tablet from Loki's hands. Desperate to know, needing to know who I was. I skimmed through various pages of things I already knew about myself. It had everything in here, my birth date, my first job, my salary and even details on my first boyfriend. They'd been more thorough than I expected.

Something caught my eye. Experiments.

"Experiments?" I asked breathlessly.

I looked over to Loki who didn't meet my gaze, he just looked down at the floor. His emerald eyes cloaked by dark eyelashes.

I began reading the section titled experiments aloud.

"The experimental subject was subjected to many forms of tests and research. The test subject was twenty five years old and female, carrying a six month year old baby. The baby, however was not her own but an embryo placed into her by SHIELD scientists. The genetics of the child were that of her mother; Vera Michaels and through tests and trials; James Buchanan Barnes," I read through all of the information confused.

"Experiment 1.04 later Christened as Zara April Barnes, became exposed to many untried procedures. Such as genetic reversal and the embryo was injected with telekinetic powers harnessed from unknown sources."

"Three other experiments like this were carried out by SHIELD. The first in 1946 shortly after the end of the Second World War. The efforts to try and recreate the super solider serum failed. The test subject and his mother both died during the trials. The next test took place in a remote inland of the coast of Madagascar named Reunion. The same effects happened causing the death of mother and child. The next trail was issued in 1965 instead of testing on an unborn child SHIELD scientists tested the formula on a child of six weeks named Samuel Forest. He managed to control his powers for a short amount of time before being announced unstable, he no resides in a SHIELD mental facility. He mind is scrambled as are his powers. He is no longer in control of the elements as his younger self once was."

"The last experiment took place in 1991. It was successful in bringing about the first man made superhuman in over fifty years. But due to multiple procedures Experiment 1.04 birth mother died in child birth, she is no buried in a small cemetery in New York, her place of birth," I finished reading the information in front of me.

My eyes were clouded by tears and my heart blinded by rage. _My mother died. I'm the reason she is dead._ I tried to swallow but a lump in my throat prevented me from doing so. A silent tears fell from my eyes.

"Zara, I'm so sorry," Loki apologised softly, his face filled with an expression I had never seen on him before remorse.

I ran out of the room crying, not looking back, and not listening to the screams from Loki. Pushing past Natasha and Clint. I just carried on running until I got to my room. I fell to my knees sobbing. My heart crying out. My whole body felt numb and weak. _You're an experiment. Face it, you don't deserve to live._

* * *

(Steve's POV)

Maria Hill walked in to the tower and stood in front of us her arms crossed over her chest.

"Did I say you could enter my tower?" Tony questioned cockily.

"Did I say you could hack into top secret SHIELD files?" she retorted.

Steve looked up from his book confused, as far as he was concerned Tony hadn't hacked into any files since the Battle of New York. But how would he know. Tony did a lot of things, and he didn't ever confine in Steve.

"What?" he asked.

"No one else here has the intelligence, tech or stupidity to hack into level ten files. Any way the signal came from one of your tablets," she declared.

"Maybe I did, I hack a lot files from a lot of places, and you expect me to remember?" he laughed.

If he was trying to plead his case he wasn't going the right way about it.

"Which file?" Bruce asked calmly.

"That information is classified," she dodged his question.

Steve sighed, standing up, stretching slightly. He met Maria's cold stare. He hated how every time something involving SHIELD turned her from a person he consider a friend to a cold spy.

"If you wanted us to help your gonna have to tell us what the file's about Maria," Steve said, trying to spread diplomacy between his fellow Avengers. She sighed before answering.

"Zara. Zara's file," she answered bluntly.

_Zara?_ He thought to himself. Clearly everyone was confused. Everyone gave Maria blank faces, it was clear no one thought of her as a threat but a friend.

"Do you think she's read it?" Bruce asked.

"Maybe. She pushed past Clint and me crying. Unless Loki said something really awful, it's possible," Natasha said.

Steve felt a sudden blast of anger running through his veins. If SHILED or Loki had hurt her in any way he had to know why.

"What's in that file," Steve demanded sharply.

"Whoa calm down big fella, just hacking it as we speak," Tony said.

Maria tried to grab the tablet from Tony but he lifted it above his head and tutted disapprovingly.

"Did anyone ever tell you snatching is bad," he said pulling a sad face.

Tony carried on typing and swiping while Clint stood over him trying to help. Natasha took a seat next to Bruce. Steve didn't dare take his eyes off Maria, he continued glaring at her.

"Hey, Tony's unlocked it," Clint called to Steve.

He walked over, his stance stiff and regimented, glaring at Maria one last time before reading the file.

Steve skimmed through all the unnecessary information until he got to a text about experiments. He read through it. It was a lot to take in, mostly about trying to recreate the super solider serum. There was one part that worried him. There was a small bit of Zara's file concerning Bucky. _Bucky was Zara's dad?_

Steve looked up in rage and hurt. As did his friends. Clint, pushed past Maria storming off to find Zara, Bruce quickly followed him. Natasha looked disgusted and sat down on the sofa running her fingers through her red hair. Tony's face didn't show any expression but his eyes told it all. For a second he laughed.

"All this time, you claimed to be the good guys, looking out for everyone. You're all hypocrites. Just as bad as HYDRA," Tony said.

"Get out of my tower," Tony said. Maria nodded before leaving turning to leave.

"Wait!" Natasha called.

Maria turned around to look at her. Natasha stood up, putting her gun in her holster.

"Take Steve and me to Director Fury," she commanded.

"Fury's dead," she wavered slightly.

"O c'mon we all know he isn't. You are taking us to Fury. Now," she spoke calmly but with an air of authority.

Maria turned on her heels and Steve and Natasha followed after her.

"I didn't know you cared about her," Steve whispered to her.

"You don't know everything Rogers. All I see is a young girl who needs answers. Any way, you care about her," she answered. Those last words lingered in Steve's head for the rest of the day. _You care about her._

* * *

(Zara's POV)

There was a knock at the door, I ignored it. Again there was a knock and I refused to open the door. I couldn't let anyone see me like this.

"Go away," I croaked, my voice dry and horse from all the crying.

"Zara? It's Clint and Bruce. Let us in," Clint called.

The door opened anyway, and in walked Clint with Bruce following shortly afterwards.

"You okay?" Clint asked kneeling in front of me.

I nodded unconvincingly. Clint sighed sadly and hugged me. I rested my head on his shoulder my closed my eyes, letting tears again fall from them. He stroked my hair softly.

"You know, I didn't do hugs until I met you Zara," he joked slightly.

I attempted to smile but it was weak. Bruce stood awkwardly by my bookshelf. He smiled slightly, his eyes sympathetic. I pulled away from Clint and sat up straight.

"Go away please," I begged, my voice breaking.

Clint stood up, brushing his trousers and leaving silently. Bruce smiled again, leaving shortly after.

My phone rang. It was on the bed side table and I grabbed it and touched answer.

"Hello?" I fumbled, sniffing.

"Zara, it's me. It's your mum," my mum's voice sounded happy but I knew it was an act. Just like the day dad died, hiding her pain with false smiles.

"Did you know," I asked whimpering slightly.

"Oh Zara, you have to understand…" She began

_I have to understand?! What's there to understand?_

"No! No! You listen to me! For once you're gonna listen to me!" I shrieked down the line.

"Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me, from the beginning," I said my words caught up in my tears.

"I didn't. Your father and I didn't want you feel different," she tried to justify her actions.

"Not feel different!" I screamed.

"I've always felt different, from the first second. Always different. Am I damned, cursed?" I asked, almost breaking into tears.

"No, of course not darling. You're my daughter," she cried.

"No I'm not. I never have been. But it makes sense now. Why you never treated me the same as Harry. He was your real child and he is a real person. Not a damned experiment! But no matter how much you claim to love me, you could never care for an experiment!" the last words dripping with pain and tears.

I hung up, sick of her excuses. I took the picture of my mother, father, Harry and I kept by my bed. I felt the frame under my fingertips, feeling the intricate detail of flowers. I stoked each one of the faces in in the picture until I got to mine. I took the picture out of the frame. Ripping the part of the picture which I was in. Tearing it into tiny pieces and throwing it out of the window. Watching it fall into the road. Next to took the frame and dropped it, the glass broke slightly. I picked it up again and carried on shaming it. Screaming and crying all the while. Until there was nothing but shattered glass.

I touched my iPod and began playing a song, I played it as loud as I could to drown out my cries.

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

_ Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface_

_ Don't know what you're expecting of me_

_ Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes_

_ (Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)_

_ Every step that I take is another mistake to you_

_ (Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)_

_I've become so numb, I can't feel you there_

_ Become so tired, so much more aware_

_ I'm becoming this, all I want to do_

_ Is be more like me and be less like you._

I screamed a last time, pulling my hair and crying. After that my pain became too real. I couldn't feel, I didn't want to feel. I was numb beyond anyone else comprehension. I crawled into my bed and wept until I fell into a dark sleep.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I felt every cry, every scream, and every tear. In my heart, it was ripping my broken heart apart. I felt all the emotions she thought she had to bare alone. Not only had I lived a similar fate, I felt her pain. The bond through telepathy was too strong. For I had let my feelings get afar. I know had her dreams and pain. It had already gone too far, but there was no going back now.

* * *

(Steve's POV)

Steve was awoke by quiet sobbing. He crept out of his bed and followed the source of tears. Fury, as ever was unavailable but Steve was going to get answers, one way or another. He stopped outside Zara's door and opened it crack. And sure enough there sat Zara weeping. He walked in the room and sat beside her. She looked up at him. Her once radiant face was blemished by tears.

"Zara," he said softly.

She didn't reply and didn't even look at Steve. He embraced her tightly not wanting to let her suffer alone. He kissed the top of head lightly. He pulled away and went to leave but then Zara grabbed his hand. Making him blush slightly.

"Don't leave. Please. I can't face the nightmares alone," she begged.

Steve looked at her, her eyes crying out for him. Steve knew it was the wrong thing to do, in the 1940s if he ever did anything like this he would be in a whole heap of trouble. But this was different, she needed him. He sighed quietly and climbed into the bed next to her. She curled up next to him and he put his arm around her. Her watched her sleep for a while before falling asleep too.


	11. Chapter X

**A/N: No I'm not dead! Hi, yes I am alive and no I wasn't in intensive care for however long it's been since I updated! I have been preoccupied by two things. A) My other stories that desperately needed updating or in one case, starting. B) SCHOOL! GCSEs, I just started them, I've bombarded with homework, it's killing me! I swear updates will, hopefully, be more frequent... Or less depending on the amount of homework my evil teachers are giving me. I have worked out the whole plot now, so I won't be writing aimlessly, not that I was before...**

**Thanks to chatruby for following, Skylar97 and SliverKitsuneGrlAngel for favouriting. Thanks to Ellie for reviewing! And... drum roll please Sapphire Roz! Thanks to all of you who've read it, patience is a virtue and you're gonna need it with me!**

**~I've been Jotunheim Storm~**

**Thanks xoxo**

* * *

Chapter X

Tony Stark didn't wait for people. People waited for Tony Stark, yes. He was fashionably late, or late because he didn't know he was meant to be turning up. So when the Cap decided to be late for the first time, ever in his life, Tony was annoyed.

He wasn't in his room, not watching over Loki, not training, not reading. He wasn't making pancakes _he makes some good pancakes _Tony thought to himself. _Zara! She's good friends with him, she must know. _He turned a corner walking into the elevator pressing the number five.

"Good Morning Sir, is there anyone in particular you are looking for?" JARVIS asked him.

"Spangles," he laughed, loving giving nicknames to the solider.

"Going up, Mr Rogers is in Miss Haley's room," he replied.

_Just as I thought. _He laughed again, loving how JARVIS knew who was talking about. The elevator doors opened and Tony walked out into the landing, taking a left turn, pushing open the wooden door to Zara's room. He hadn't seen her since yesterday noon, she locked herself in her room and refused to come out. The news hit her pretty hard, it hurt her. And for some strange reason it made Tony feel pained too. He liked Zara, he saw a lot of himself in her; intelligence, fun and a sparkle. Luckily she wasn't too much like Tony that would be strange.

He walked into the room to see Steve buttoning up his blue shirt, with Zara nowhere to be seen. Steve looked up to him and smiled slightly, Tony replied with a roll of his eyes. It was fair to say they had a strange relationship.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked innocently.

"We had a meeting, scheduled for nine o'clock, I thought Captain America cared about the team. I thought Captain America was always there. I thought, you were never late. And I definitely didn't think you were the type to stand someone up," Tony snapped.

Steve frowned slightly, finishing buttoning up his shirt, crossing his arms over his chest still glaring at Tony.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" _man, I sound like my dad_ he thought.

"You sound like Howard," Steve mused, _he heard it to. _"I sent you a message, six o'clock through that mobile cellular phone you gave me, didn't you read it?" he questioned.

_Oops._

"Ha, you think I'm up at six?" he joked.

"I didn't think you were up at nine either," Steve retorted.

_Wow, snappy. _

"I sent you a message saying," he picked up the _mobile cellular phone_ and read the message "Sorry Tony, I can't make the meeting, I'm staying with Zara, she is really upset still, I don't want to leave her. I swear I will be at the next meeting, sorry Steve," he looked up at Tony, who gulped.

He took his phone out of his pocket, three unread messages, from Steve. All saying the same thing. He must have sent three by accident. He laughed slightly, loving how Steve wrote out every single word, no abbreviations what so ever. He looked up to the solider, who was still scowling at him. He forgot how much Steve cared about Zara, he probably should have read the messages instead of classifying them as _stupid. _

"Oops," he laughed.

Steve rolled his eyes, clearly not in a joking mood.

"Where is Zara anyway?" Tony asked trying to change the subject.

Just as he asked about her she walked into the room. Her hair dripping, a towel draped around her shoulders. She wore a dark blue dress with a pleated skirt. She looked tired, exhausted, and hollow. Tony had never seen her so…

Down.

"Speak of the devil," Tony teased.

Steve shot him a look, a look of daggers, was the only the only phrase that described he stare. Zara attempted to smile but it was a broken one, her eyes filled with tears. Steve looked over to Zara, his face filled with sympathy and something else. Tony wasn't sure what it was, but to him it looked a lot like love.

The super solider was in love.

Tony left the room, briskly laughing to himself. He had just found his new favourite ship.

Stera

* * *

(Zara's POV)

"Why is he laughing?" I asked turning to Steve.

Steve shook his head, rolling his eyes. I chuckled slightly. My phone vibrated in my pocket, I took my phone from my pocket, reading the one worded text from Tony

**Stera**

I burst into a fit of giggles, blushing the brightest red. I felt a strange warm feeling inside. Did Steve like me?

"What's Stera?" Steve asked me reading the message on his phone.

I fell onto my bed and laughed hysterically for the next half hour with Steve, sitting beside me. Very much confused. When I finally brought myself to stop laughing, I decided it was time to explain shipping to Steve.

"Shipping," I said bluntly.

Blunt was always the best way to start an explanation.

"It means Tony ships us together… Think of it like this, relation**-**ship … Steve, Zara… Stera. It's our names combined to be a couple name," I stuttered towards the end of my explanation.

"Oh," he replied.

_Oh? Was that all he could bring himself to say? Oh? Well it was quite a shock to him. Finding out he had just become a part of a ship. _

"So it has nothing to do with boats?" he asked confused.

I snorted while I was laughing but I didn't care, I was way too funny. _So it has nothing to do with boats?!_ Oh Steve.

"No!" I giggled, pulling him into a hug, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Does that mean… Tony thinks… We… Should… Urm… Date?" he mumbled, it was almost inaudible.

I stopped laughing, pulling away from Steve. I brushed my hands on my skirt awkwardly. I sighed, looking out into my room.

"I guess… Do you want to?" I asked nervously.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

No!

Say no!

Please, please, please say no!

And now she has shut me off!

Stupid, moronic, pathetic Tony! Now look what you've gone and done. Of course he will say yes. Why wouldn't he? She is beautiful, intelligent, and funny.

Perfect.

_What are you thinking fool! You cannot let sentiment and feeling get in the way. Emotions are for the weak. Remember what happened last time you cared, what happened when you gave someone love._

They died.

* * *

(Zara's POV)

I walked into a small office, I could see out into the streets of New York through the large glass windows, I looked down to see yet another traffic jam, and I thought London was busy. Steve stood behind me, his arms behind his back. A plane had landed outside Stark tower, with Maria telling me to get in, and of course Steve followed me. I was going to meet the Director? Either this was a prank or someone was putting me in a film. I hope for the latter.

A man with dark skin stood, looking out to the busy New York scene, he had not yet made any attempt to make me feel welcome or comfortable. I just felt plain awkward.

"Rogers, nice to see you again," he said, still with his back to the wall.

Okay, definitely a joke. But Steve's in on it too?

"Director," he said sharply.

"Miss Haley, take a seat," he said.

He turned around, he wore dark glasses a leather jacket and dark trousers. He sat down in a large chair, across from where I was sitting. A table was in between us, and for some reason I was glad it was there. I didn't feel safe in a room with only one door, on the other side of the room.

Behind the Director.

"Miss Barnes actually," I smiled sweetly but my voice was sour.

Steve tensed, gulping. I looked over to him, his clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. It looked as if he was trying not to cry.

"I thought you of all people would know that Director, you are the director of SHIELD, right?" I said bitterly.

I wasn't a bitter person but the sight of him made me recoil in disgust.

"Miss Barnes, I believe we have a lot to talk about," he said, pulling his chair closer to the table.

I resisted the urged to back away from the table, I placed my hands on the table. Determined to get my long overdue answers.

"I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen, okay? Is there any way you can contact my father? Is there a way I can see him?" I trailed off at the end.

Steve, looked away from me. I could have sworn he was blinking back tears.

"No, there isn't," he said bluntly.

I swore under my breath. I slammed my hand down on the table. Steve looked over to me shocked but I ignored his stunned look and continued to glare coldly at the Director.

"Tell me the truth," I snapped.

"You really have no idea who he is do you?" the director noted calmly.

I shook my head, returning to my seat. The director pressed something on the table, switching on a large screen.

_Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers where inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country. _

_But he's demise was not as simple as it seems. Barnes returned after the events of the battle of New York to fight against his former best friend under the influence of HYDRA, it is believed be was brainwashed by them. He became known as the Winter Solider, a mercenary. When he fought against Steven Rogers it was believed Barns saved him from drowning. To this day his whereabouts are unknown._

The screen blurred for a second before turning off. I looked to Steve who didn't make eye contact with me. I entwined my fingers into his, gripping his hand tightly. _This was just as hard for him as it was for me. _

"Any more questions?" he asked, his tone bored.

"Why?" I begged.

The director's hard stare softened and his expression showed remorse. Regret. _Suck it up Director, I've lived with that for my whole life._

"We've made mistakes, we're only human. Some along time ago and others more recently. Me and my fellow SHIELD members came to a conclusion; this world needed a hero. The sooner people wake up to the fact that not all superheroes are born the better," he began.

He stood by the window, beckoning me to come to him. I walked apprehensively towards him. He stared out into the streets of Manhattan. I looked out to see thousands of people, rushing and running about.

"What do you see?" he asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders. What was I supposed to say?

"Look closer," he instructed me.

I blinked and focused on the crowd. Scanning the crowds looking for something, anything noticeable. I saw a mother dragging her small, bawling child down the street. She was crying about something I couldn't think what. She wasn't hurt, or tired not that I could see. I skimmed the edges of the streets looking for a reason for the girl to cry.

By the rubbish bins there was a pale pink cuddly rabbit. It was small in size and looked much loved. _The rabbit! _I focused my stare on the small doll. I moved my hand and as I did the rabbit levitated and floated towards the little girl. I continued to concentrate on the rabbit, it fell into the girl's arms, almost instantly she stopped cry and went willingly with her mother.

"Is that what you wanted me to see?" I asked.

"No, I wanted to see what you saw. Most people would have seen Manhattan, busy people, traffic but you. You singled out one person in the masses and helped them. Not many people can do that Miss Barnes, not many people care enough to do so either," he smiled.

"What did you mean by heroes aren't born?" I asked inquisitively.

_They aren't born, so that why you did this to me? Because you don't believe people can be heroes without your help?! I'd be better off, if they had just left me alone. _

"No one is born a hero Miss Barnes. Being a hero is a mind-set. Not everyone possess it, not everyone can. But you do. Whether this was due to experiments or not you are a hero. This isn't an easy path nor is a safe one. These people need people like you. I'm not excusing what happened to you or your mother that was wrong. I can see that now. I don't not expect you to accept my apology and I know I do not deserve your forgiveness. But they do," he explained.

A hero? Me? I didn't do anything, I just helped a child. It wasn't worthy of a noble peace prize was it?

"You may not see it, but I do. I'm sure others do to," he told me.

Steve smiled at me, causing me to blush a bright red. I looked back to the director, waiting to hear what I had do now. But the look in his eyes told me there was nothing else to say.

"Thank you, Director," I dismissed myself.

I walked past the table and opened the door walking out into the corridor, I leaned against the wall sighing loudly. It was a lot to take in but if he believed in me.

If Steve believed in me, then maybe just maybe I wasn't that worthless after all. I smiled to myself, hero. I liked the sound of that.

* * *

(Loki's POV)

I sat up as she walked into the room. Her smile was no longer broken and her eyes were filled with her usual warmth. She sat down in the chair, turning around to look at me. I smiled at her, and she returned it. I looked closely at her face, just taking in every detail. Her deep green eyes shone brightly in the light which illuminated the room. Her skin was a pale shade but her cheeks were a rosy colour. Her brown hair was highlighted with sky blue, the highlights accented the loveliness in her face._ What are thinking? Sentiment has ruined you._

"Is there something on my face?" she asked concerned.

"Well there is a large wart to the side of your eye," I laughed.

She rolled and eyes mocked laughing. I sighed, looking down to my feet. _If Thor could see me now, attracted to a pathetic mortal… Attracted was an understatement._

* * *

(Thanos' POV)

He sat upon his throne on the barren moon, he looked down in disgust to his minion, the Other. The pathetic waste of life that stood before him trembled as his master's cruel stare. He sighed, tiring of the Chitauri failing him.

"Do you have anything _worthy _of my attention?" he asked, bored with the Other.

"Another star has fallen to your mighty lead Thanos," he shuddered.

A star, a moon, a crevice. Was that all? He had conquered a star, _thrilling._

"I tire of worthless things such as stars. I was promised the universe but you have not delivered. Where is the orb you promised me?" he questioned menacingly.

He heard the gulp coming from the Chitauri's throat. He felt the Other's pulse fasten and saw the fear in his hollow eyes.

"It has been lost to the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ronan was ripped apart by the orb's power," he informed him.

"The Tesseract?" he inquired.

The Other did not make eye contact with his master.

"The Tesseract is on Asgard and is heavily guarded by the Allfather. The Orb is presently on Xandar, it would be unwise to try and retrieve them sir," he told him.

He rolled his eyes, of course he knew it would be unwise. It was unwise to attack Midgard, unwise to attack Xandar. Wise was not his main concern.

"I know that Other, thank you for your time, your service, is no longer required," he smiled maliciously.

With a bolt of lightning jolting from his hands it hit the Other. His body violently shook, Thanos watched on as the once great Chitauri leader crumbled and decayed. His body was submerged and swallowed in light. His body perished and became pile of grey sand on the floor.

"Deimos!" he called out to his eldest son.

Deimos was a moon of Mars he destroyed for his son, so fittingly he named him after it. His son stood before him. His skin was of a bluish tone, he was built muscular and his face was that of angel, much like his mother undoubtedly.

"Travel to Midgard and bring me Loki. Kill anyone that stands in my way," he told him.

His son nodded obediently. With a flick of his wrist, Thanos watched his son take the form of a mortal. His skin was of a dusky shade and his eyes were a dark brown, he still kept an angel like quality in his face. The body turned on his heel, teleporting himself away.

"Leave no survivors."


End file.
